BEIJING: In a move which shows how realistically robots can work, a new robotic greeter now stands at the foyer of the Mitsukoshi department store in central Tokyo. The robot – manufactured by Toshiba – is attired in a kimono; and it greets the shoppers in Japanese. The robot was manufactured after a call for ‘robot revolution’ by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The ‘robot revolution’ move can be beneficial for Japan, in terms of developments in robotic computing power, the capability to identify voices and images, and machine learning. The developments can potentially help Japan cope with the problems of a fast-ageing populace and a declining workforce.
Abe said that companies should increase the use of robotics from large-scale factories to every corner of the country’s economy and society. He was speaking at the opening of Japan’s Robot Revolution Initiative Council on May 15. This idea was supported by 200 companies and universities; it is aimed at increasing the use of intelligent machines in supply chains, manufacturing, construction, and health care and increasing sales of robotics from
600 billion yen annually to 2.4 trillion yen by 2020.
According to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), in factory robots, Japanese companies together with Fanuc, Yaskawa Electric, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries have 50% of the global market. The companies also have 90% share in parts like servo motors, precision gears, robotic limbs, and specialised sensors.
