Robots are getting better or scarier (depending on your view) every year and as this is the first robot related event I have attended, I was a bit blown away and yet a bit underwhelmed at the same time.
Let me get the disappointment out of the way, I guess I had an expectation of more autonomy from the robots but there was a lot of tethers and controls – probably because it was an exhibition. I was expecting a bit more DARPA apparently.
With that out of the way, I was really impressed. There were plenty of DIY kits including starter kits and kits designed for children. I had Legos when growing up and I can only imagine what it would have been like growing with a robotics kit and programming.
Gallery – article continued below.
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- DIY
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- Leonardo da Vinci
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- Cute
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- Exo Suits
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- NEDO
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- Robotic Mannequin
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- Kokoro
Exo-suits were abundant to support Japan’s and the global aging population.
The Leonardo da Vinci was equipped voice recognition and could hold a conversation. It was interesting watching how people would interact with da Vinci. It seemed people were very hesitant. My theory is that something that is clearly a robot is easier to accept than a robot disguised as a person.
Kokoro, known for robotic dinosaurs and the first robot-staffed hotel was present with their robotic spokes model. I do understand that robots made to appear as humans can be unsettling. I think the acceptance will only come when robots that are supposed to be made to appear human are indistinguishable from real people, like Data from Star Trek.
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