Automata and Robots
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Research on Traditional Technology from the Edo Period and Modern Robots
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Final Episode: Future of Robot Technology
Learn from Automata -Fusion of Culture, Art, Life Modes, Economy, and Technology-
I have talked about the current state of robot technology and research in the preceding episodes. That technology and research will steadily progress and so where can robots head using them? I personally believe that they can take two possible directions. One is in technologically improving “feeling, thinking and moving”, with currently prevailing machines being of higher intelligence.
The other is the emergence of something unknown to us yet. Keywords for use in this direction would not only be “technology” but also “culture”, “art”, “mode of life,” “the economy” and so on. Emphasis should be placed on how “technology” will be integrated with them in order that new robots can achieve general recognition. For example, even if an unknown robot to the public such as Hallucigenia 01 is placed on the market at a price of 2 million yen, basically nobody buys one because they are still not widely accepted in our culture as a road vehicle. Hence anything new needs to be first accepted by the general public.
For example, even if we can technologically produce an android, it is not easy making it look like a human being. Even if we use artificial skin, imitate muscle movement and the facial expressions of delight, anger, sorrow or pleasure it is still not a human being. Actually it would probably look like the walking dead.
Do you know why? Human facial expressions look natural because they have emotion behind them. Current cybernetic technology has not advanced enough yet to realize the senses and ego related to delight, anger, sorrow or pleasure, which is why androids with facial expressions but without actual emotions look like the walking dead. This is related to a famous hypothesis known as the “Uncanny Valley”. As a robot is made more humanlike in appearance it suddenly starts looking uncanny at a certain point.
Upon discussing this with an artist he told me that problem had been settled in the realm of art some centuries ago. After examining some automata I was able to confirm that that was true. Please have a look at the facial expressions on the “Chahakobi Ningyo” or tea-serving doll and the “Yumihiki Doji” or boy doll shooting a bow. Although they are not equipped with motors in their heads they still move with eloquent facial expressions. When the doll shooting a bow draws the bow she quickly turns her head, she is very charming indeed.
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Yumihiki Doji
Possessed by Kurume City Education Board
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Noh masks also succeeded in expressing delight, anger, sorrow or pleasure by being turned back and forth and around. This was not achieved with the pursuit of not technological solutions but rather by being emotionally appealing to human beings. Engineers should not only work with technology but also learn from the arts and automata.
The amazing thing about automata is not only their facial expressions. Although they are equipped with machines you can not see them because they wear kimonos. Dolls dressed in kimonos can make very precise movements. They are amazing because the mechanism was designed to look very natural when moving in kimonos. Their necks move so as to not catch any of the strings even when dressed in them.
A string manipulation technique, an internal mechanism and movement were all integrated in the dolls. How does the way they move come across to the general public? Are they interesting? All these aspects of cultural entertainment were preplanned. Robots still do not have these features that can be found in automata. We have not yet reached the kimono making phase. We have not even reached the phase of planning how to present robots. Once we are fully aware of those elements robots will be accepted by the general public in the same way automata were so popular.
Stated another way, automata succeeded in integrating technology with “culture, art, mode of life and economy”. Therefore, automata still have a lot to teach us. The challenge we face with developing robots is integrating “technology” into “culture”, “art”, “mode of life”, “economy” etc.
Well then, where will robot technology go after we have learned enough from automata? I personally believe that they will get enhanced safety and finally emerge in the area of welfare.
For example, there are people that while their brains still function they cannot move. How about a robot which has the function of converting their “want-to-go somewhere” or “want-to-do something” into action physical movement? How about a normal chair that was derived from a wheel chair of which the wheels can transform into legs. Of course, they work as wheels, too. I hope we will eventually develop such wheel or leg chairs in which physically handicapped people can go anywhere in the natural environment not only over flatlands but also mountain roads.
The Hallucigenia 01 concept is a better version of that chair and was based on my own experience during the years I lived in a wheel chair. I would like to develop a machine that can convert “want-to-do something or want-to-go somewhere” into physical movement through using robot technology.
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Trigger of robot study: a dream chair
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Accumulation of robot technologies is required.
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Research using humanoid robots
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Robot technology has important keywords. Immature technologies can destroy nature. Environments are created in accordance with technology. Presumably present barrier-free designers are content with that level, however wheel chairs cannot be used anywhere other than level ground as they are only equipped with wheels. And although they are definitely suitable for use in urban areas it is impossible for us to create barrier-free environments in the ocean or mountains.
We have destroyed our natural environment, for example, by constructing hard-surface roads for use by vehicles. Human beings will eventually get “selected” by nature if we continue to destroying it. The technology necessary in days coming needs to be that which does not adversely affect nature and helps us live together along side it. We should not modify environments for the sake of technology and rather develop technology that fits into the environment. I believe that that kind of technology is what we should seek.
We must not destroy natural environments. We hopefully will not get “selected” by nature. Furthermore, we should try to eliminate inconveniences in human life. And to allow such technologies to be accepted by the general public they need to integrate with “culture”, “art” and “mode of life”. We should learn from the automata technology and develop environmentally friendly technologies with an eye to the future. I believe that how robots should evolve.
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[Hallucigenia 01]
Demonstration movie
Jointly developed by fuRo and LEADING EDGE DESIGN
(Click the image to see the movie. 2 minutes and 21 seconds, 8,222KB)
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Takayuki Furuta
Director of Future Robotics Technology Center of Chiba Institute of Technology
Engaged in developing humanoid robots as the leader of the Kitano Symbiotic System Project, JST robot development group. Has been the director of the Future Robotics Technology Center of Chiba Institute of Technology since June 2003. Developed the humanoid robot “morph3” in 2002 and “Hallucigenia 01” which was produced by integrating automobile technology with robot technology in 2003.
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Automata and Robots 
