Robots Entering Daily Life in Japan 164
USA Today is running a story about the emergence of robots in common aspects of life in Japan. Many simple yet social jobs are being filled by robots of increasing sophistication. The article suggests that Japanese culture is more open to such interaction than the majority of other cultures. Quoting:
"For Japan, the robotics revolution is an imperative. With more than a fifth of the population 65 or older, the country is banking on robots to replenish the workforce and care for the elderly. The government estimates the industry could surge from about $5.2 billion in 2006 to $26 billion in 2010 and nearly $70 billion by 2025. Besides financial and technological power, the robot wave is favored by the Japanese mind-set as well. Robots have long been portrayed as friendly helpers in Japanese popular culture, a far cry from the often rebellious and violent machines that often inhabit Western science fiction."
Robots are here (Score:5, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
Thank you, Mormons, for superior technology.
??????? What are you talking about? Are you assuming that everyone who lives in Utah is Mormon?
Ever your willing servant,
Wanna donate your eyes?
Re: (Score:2)
That would also be a false statement.
I know Mormons were among the first religious to adopt Einstein's Relativity because it proved what Joseph Smith was saying about chaotic matter being the foundation of element, and that intelligence was co-eternal with matter, and that matter can neither be created nor destroyed but only organized and re-organized.
Einstein's Theory of Relativity said nothing of the sort.
I also know Mormons at BYU were among the first to us
Re: (Score:2)
Note that space is dense with virtual pairs that haven't got access to an external source of energy, which is why some approaches to calculating quantum interactions require an infinite number of steps (though only s
Re: (Score:2)
Well, we are working on the neural connectivity in the retina itself. Retinal/cortical connectivity is being explored by other groups in our team, but yeah... that (rescuing blindness) is the mission we are all working on.
Tentacles (Score:5, Funny)
Don't forget their military! (Score:2, Funny)
I hate this characterization of the West (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:I hate this characterization of the West (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:I hate this characterization of the West (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
It's because we don't tax machine labour (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Meet George Jetson (Score:3, Insightful)
Jetson's job: To press a button and turn on the computer everyday.
Sometimes Jetson helps the computer make a decision, but one never gets the impression the computer actually needs his help; its like it is humoring him.
Jobs in that future world have been reduced to repair, office politics (including corporate espionage,) meaningless filler positions (like those created for a re
Re:I hate this characterization of the West (Score:5, Insightful)
FP had an excellent link to a snowplowing robot. How long do you think that would be in operation before some kid threw himself under it and the place using the robot to clean the parking lot and the manufacturer of the robot got sued?
Re: (Score:2)
William Gibson had an interesting take on this. For him, Japan is a future-shocked country. Since the end of world war II, the collective subconscious there is convinced that being at the technological edge is a quest
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
We also haven't embraced robots in the industrial sector to the extent that the Japanese have, and much of that has to do with the perception of them as human replacements, not because they're rebellious and violent. Honestly, it's the humans that often get rebellious a
Re: (Score:2)
It's much more about cheap labor. (Score:5, Insightful)
If Japan had a Mexico on its southern borders they wouldn't be working on robots so much ether.
Give NAFTA another ten years and we will need robots for lots of stoop work as well. It's already starting with crop work (Grape harvesting is switching over to robots as we speak).
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Note how efficient coal mining has become. Instead of many peons with picks and shovels (and a miner death rate like Chinas) we have a few skilled workers and many machines for both open and underground mining. There is every reason to remove people from the job except as supervisors.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
This is silly. Japan doesn't have Mexico, but they do have China, the Philippines, and Indonesia, which together have ten times the population of Mexico and far less money per capita.
The Japanese don't have immigrants because they don't want immigrants, whereas the US contains powerful business and social interests intent on as much immigration as possible.
Re: (Score:2)
I'm not sure I accept your contention Japanese corporate interests are more powerful relative to their respective government. Here in the US a pretty solid 70% of Americans want to see illegal immigration stopped, and yet the government makes almost no effort to stop it.
In Japan, the corporate interests may love cheap foreign labor, but they don't seem to have much success actually importing it in substantial numbers. According to the CIA World Factbook [cia.gov], Japan is 98.5% ethnic Japanese and has a 0% net mi
Re: (Score:2)
Re:I hate this characterization of the West (Score:5, Interesting)
It also might explain why western robots in development usually have guns on them. I mean iRobot is the most popular robotics company in the USA but most of their money comes from military contracts and not consumer sales.
Re:I hate this characterization of the West (Score:5, Insightful)
I think that people, as you were saying, are more concerned that the robots won't work well, than that they are dangerous. Once they know somebody with one or see one in action, it becomes a no brainer.
politeness, restraint, and deference to authority (Score:5, Interesting)
In America or Europe if a worker no longer serves the bottom line they are likely to be quickly discarded. Though they might seek other positions in the company, even training is likely to be their responsibility to have in order in advance. From hiring to firing the relationship will lack compassion and no one bows. Similar rules extend to family where a historically extreme level of independence is becoming the norm. People must find a way for themselves to get by.
In Japan employees or relations might find their roles changing to respond to circumstance, but leaving the group is typically a last resort. There from meeting to parting everyone bows to each other. People must find a place for themselves in a group.
In typical American or European conditions robots embody the cold displacement that all must fear. Robots become implacable competitors in almost any setting. Japanese social networks welcome the robots in part because they do not suffer the same endemic fear of rejection and displacement. Robots are suited to tasks that are difficult or not valued enough for people, so they are easily seen as cooperative.
Re: (Score:2)
But one advantage of robots is that you can beat the living shit out of them [youtube.com] when they annoy you. Do that with a human, and get locked up. Do it with a robot and you're merely out a satisfying $500.
Re: (Score:2)
the real reason for robot popularity in Japan (Score:2)
In a culture like this robots are most likely less stressful assistants than in the west.
Re: (Score:2)
Children of Men (Score:5, Interesting)
But, coincidentally, the next day I saw a demonstration of ASIMO, Honda's self-contained little robot -- and it resonated so well with the movie that it's hard to believe in coincidence anymore.
The Japanese are already living in that Children of Men world, their birthrate is shockingly low, and they have almost no immigration, so the population is shrinking quickly, especially of young people.
So, what do the Japanese do? Rather than despair (as they did in England, in the movie) they just build a generation of robots...
Simplistic, I know.
Re: (Score:2)
Clearly, they're in denial about the dangers robots pose [robotmarketplace.com] towards old people.
Re:Children of Men (Score:5, Insightful)
Anyway, the point is that "Children of Men" wasn't about low birth rate. It is about being forced to confront your civilization having no future, and your life having no meaning.
Re: (Score:2)
Arguably that premise is horribly flawed. If one takes a view as an atheist, when you die you don't exist so it doesn't really matter if humanity survives one year without you or a billion because having children does not give you immortality as far as existing goes. If one takes a religious view on life, humanity surviving is a moo
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Unfortunately afaict there are only three ways out of that situation:
1: kill seniors like you mentioned, unacceptable to almost everyones codes of ethics.
2: strongly encourage (heavilly subsidise) or even force people to have more kids, expensive and may not be effective enough, also would cause a lot of kids born to parents who don't really want them which is IMO a bad thing.
3: allow lots of immigration, the problem with this approach is that within a few generatio
Common worries (Score:3, Funny)
Not a problem. If anything goes wrong, just set off a nuclear weapon in the bay. The giant lizards and flying turtles will solve everything.
The robots seem powerful, but once they've shot off all the missiles that are their fingers, they're mostly harmless.
Re: (Score:2)
Robots are everywhere, but (Score:4, Interesting)
Interesting, but in Korea, years ago, there was an experiment when trafic lights (or semaphores, whatever) were substituted by an android (a robot police man, showing some Stop and Go signals). The results were very negative. The respect that traficants normally have for ordinary trafic lights was sometimes nearly gone when the android was used... Fear? Disrespect? Whatever...
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
It was something along the lines of the brain treating it like a horridly disfigured person.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
You need to take a short, unpleasant trip ... (Score:2)
Re:You need to take a short, unpleasant trip ... (Score:5, Funny)
Impressive, that's actually one of the most popular kinds of roboticists.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Four words (Score:4, Funny)
Those Japanese birth rates (Score:2, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
"I mean it's not like making more humans is any sort of chore." Huh? Yes, having sex isn't a chore. How about raising a kid for 17, nay, 22 years? Sound like fun? Scarcely anyone has kids intentionally nowadays excepting followers of certain Middle Eastern religions and racists. Not many Muslims or Christians in Japan, but a significant chunk
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Do you also believe all Germans are Nazis, all Muslims are Terrorists and all Americans are just fat and dumb?
Re: (Score:2)
Raising them for 18 years is a huge chore, which involves subordinating your life to theirs.
No thanks!
Bubblegum Crisis (Score:2)
I have never heard an American clamor for: (Score:2)
Humans to do laundry, like humans normally do.
Humans to build fires, like humans normally do.
Humans to connect phone calls, like humans normally do.
Humans to review every credit card charge being made and check for fraud in real time, like humans normally do.
Humans to lift construction materials to the 35th floor of buildings, like humans normally do.
Humans to drive in rail spikes, like humans normally do. OK, I lied, I have heard that one. The human in qu
Re: (Score:2)
If all the Japanese people stop making more Japanese people there will be NO MORE ANIME!!
But seriously.
You have to consider that Japan can build an endless army of robot nursing home care workers, but if they don't make more people then there will effectively be no more Japan. I don't see how you people are opposed to the concept of perpetuating the human race by the means of reproduction.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
So here it is.
I didn't say Japan should import health care workers. I said they should make more humans. I.e. Have sex with one another for the purpose of procreation, thus raising the population and filling the empty jobs. That's completely different from the idiocy you're pissing about.
Finally! (Score:2)
Shows the deep-seated hatred of foreigners.... (Score:3, Interesting)
No other society would spend so much money and effort to build Robots to replace an ageing population.
Not even Germany is such introverted or had so much hatred in-built.
I remember reading somewhere:
1. France is the country with most restrictive laws on migration, yet is most lenient when it comes to accomodating foreigners.
2. Japan has the most open laws in books to allow migration, yet its officialdom is the most restrictive in implementing it.
Probably because unlike Reich, the Imperial Japanese military never was defeated wholly in their heartland. Instead they surrendered voluntarily thus allowing them to keep their introverted practices.
Japan still has shops, stores, etc., that do not service foreigners (especially the adult shops as my friend can testify).
And they STILL do not speak English beyond Tokyo.
I welcome the slow decline and ultimate disappearance of japanese society as a whole.
Re:Shows the deep-seated hatred of foreigners.... (Score:4, Insightful)
I find it sad that you take not speaking English as some kind of black mark. You'll find that most Americans and British people speak nothing other than their own language. Why should the Japanese, if they would rather not? Other countries are not there simply to service the needs of English-speaking tourists, and if you'd ever seen what a group of Englishmen in a sex shop looks like, you might sympathise with the Japanese for wanting to keep them out!
Re: (Score:2)
Some people hold the US up as a model of immigration but I see them quickly shutting their doors. Sure you can move there as a foreigner, but the people already living there will treat you like garbage. They might not let you in their sex shops, but they probably don't harass you up and down the streets and hurl insults at you, racism is still alive and well in the US, especially if you have an accent. I can tell you which one of those I think is worse.
Luckily for some tour
Re:Shows the deep-seated hatred of foreigners.... (Score:4, Interesting)
I have been to large cities (Boston, Hartford, NYC, SF) in US, worked there, and also stayed in small towns (Keene[NH], New Britain[CT], MA, TX) etc.
Not ONCE did i find even a trace of racism being shown by anybody (from my co-workers to the cops who stopped me because one of my headlights was not working).
The only time i was shouted upon was at the DMV in New Britain, CT when my hearing was bad due to a cold when they called out my last name for license. (i use first name and last name never entered my mind).
Not just officialdom: I have chatted with my taxi driver (a college student) everyday (Keene, NH), discussed movies (The Village was a bad movie) with Stop&Shop clerks (cashing a TC), long discussion with cops (lost my way and stopped a cop-:)) on best ways to avoid a ticket, Museum curators on whether Edison would be crucified if born today, etc.
I have also attended bachelor parties, SOX games, etc., with my hosts one time.
In fact, i prefer US more than i prefer Australia (which is to say a lot).
The model in US is simple: You are considered good and trusted unless you prove otherwise. If you do not betray the trust or work hard enough, Americans trust you more than others.
Of course if you screw up, you don't get a second chance. Which is acceptable.
In Japan, even if you are twice as good as they are (Am good in software design: Twice as good as any japanese.) they neither treat you as a human nor treat you like one of the boys.
Re: (Score:2)
I have a ton of foreign friends studying in the US. They all tell me the same thing. Nothing but random racism. Towards them and their friends, other foreign classmates, etc Your experience isn't indicative of the norm as far as I can tell.
Re: (Score:2)
Random Racism Is that even a word?
If your friends think hazing is racism, then they obviously haven't studied in Germany or Japan.
Re: (Score:2)
maybe you make too many assumptions. Your experience isn't the norm, nor is the US as shiny and wonderful as you want to hold it up to be.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Japan will also claim hotels are full when they're obviously not, policemen give passport checks to foreigners just walking down the street - I live in China and would never claim it's an immigrant paradise, but peo
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
policemen give passport checks to foreigners just walking down the street
Exactly what happened to my friend's son at School.
US cops may use Tasers, but they treat all people the same.
Japanese have a siege mentality. They think if they let the guard down even once, the world's population would swamp them.
The world "alien" in japanese also is a bad word.
I live in China and would never claim it's an immigrant paradise, but people's attitudes and the government's implemented policies are far, far more accommodating than Japan's
True. I visited china last year when my bank sent me for training.
I found them far more accomodating. I appreciated their culture, visited their museums, and generally found them polite and nice, although their English accent is
Re: (Score:2)
I don't know why attempts to preserve one's own culture are seen by others as "paranoia and deep hatred of foreigners". Does the fact I lock my door at night speak of my "paranoia and deep hatred" of people who don't live in my house?
It seems pretty reasonable to me Japanese people would want to speak the Japanese language. To have some predictability in relations with other people due to a common culture.
Personally, I think future generations of Americans and Europeans will curse this generation for sa
Re: (Score:2)
I don't know why attempts to preserve one's own culture are seen by others as "paranoia and deep hatred of foreigners".
No. But when shopkeepers drive you away from their shops, and school children keep poking to make sure your son too is a human being does.
It seems pretty reasonable to me Japanese people would want to speak the Japanese language
It goes beyond that. Imagine a culture which teaches (still!) that japanese are human beings and others are Untermenchen. Yeah, japan's schools still teach it.
Kudos to the Japanese for rejecting the great stupidity of our age.
The joke is on them. In 100 years, the whole country would be ruled by robots.
Re: (Score:2)
I've had many (caucasian) friends go to Japan, and none of them reported the problems you describe. Do you have three eyes or something?
I doubt it. It doesn't take long for a detemined subpopulation to tip the demographic scales back in the positive direction. A Mormon friend of mine had mo
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Have you ever tried to be friends with a Japanese family?
Try that and then come back to slashdot.
Re: (Score:2)
One thing is for sure, I'm
Japan has it right; The rest of the west is (Score:4, Interesting)
But in the mean time, the west would do well to create loads of automated jobs. It would also help solve such issues as illegal aliens in America. But the only way to go back to creating wealth here is to have honest cheap energy and automation on construction, agriculture and manufactuering. And that is VERY needed by EU as well as Canada.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Dude, it is their currency, they can tie it to whatever arbitrary value they want. What is a president to do, tie the dollar to half the value of the yuan in revenge? Or double the value? Or simply invade?
Re: (Score:2)
As to the dollar-yuan, china is the ONLY large country that does not allow their currency to trade freely. Right now, it is about 7 yuans to the dollar. If they allowed true free trade, then it would drop to about 2 yuans / dollar. But the important one is that all other currencies
Re: (Score:2)
So if china says the yuan is worth the same as 7 dollars, or 3 pesos, or 10 bananas, and if they have to means to guarantee that value, that is their right, and it does not matter whether the dollar is "your"
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Actually, W. does not share my attitude. He would have done something about it. Fortunately, Obama and McCain both share it
Re: (Score:2)
So it is ok for them to do so, but not for China?
China might as well turn back the blame and claim the US is actively keeping the dollar in free-fall to undercut trade with the rest of the world.
And of course all this would not even be an issue if the dollar was not falling like a rock.
So, I am curious (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
No, that is a misunderstanding. My main point is this: I said it is ok for china to do whatever they want with their currency because it is their currency. The last part is important. What would you say if an european president with a backbone intended to "do something" about the falling dollar?
Let's hope for them they are not US robots (Score:2, Funny)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/01/18/dalek_fcs_uav_ducted_fan_war_robot/ [theregister.co.uk]
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9757072-7.html [news.com]
But perhaps that's better than being poisoned by chinese robots.
Bert
Bad Idea (Score:3, Funny)
Lessons from the answering machine (Score:2)
When technologies like this hit a certain level of saturation, people adopt them or end up being cultural pariahs, and I think robots will be no different.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
i still just hang up if i hit a answering machine, as more often then not the only message for it to deliver is "call me"...
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
I, for one, do not have an answering machine or use voice mail, and I generally won't leave a message for someone if the call doesn't go thorough.
is this the same japan (Score:2)
isn't it a prerequisite for every anime every made to contain some kind of giant fighting robot?
Re: (Score:2)
Last I checked Johnny Five wasn't evil and megatron was.
US progressing on robot soldiers (Score:2)
"Make war, not love"
Re: (Score:2)
Anime has predicted this (Score:2)
Oh yes. (Score:3, Insightful)
I think I speak for most of the audience of this website when I say "ever since I was six."
Not All Western SciFi (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)