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Friday, 4th December 2015
In General Japan News,
International Robot Exhibition launches in Tokyo
The International Robot Exhibition has begun in Tokyo, where over 400 Japanese companies showcase their latest inventions to the tech industry.
A total of 446 Japanese and foreign firms and research laboratories will exhibit their newest robots over the course of the four day event, which opened yesterday (December 2nd) in Tokyo.
Visitors are especially interested in machines that can operate alongside people, which would help to handle labour shortages at manufacturers and other companies. It is the world’s largest robot trade show to be held biannually.
Inventions that are on show at the event include technology for use in disaster scenarios and in nursing care. Companies set to work at the event include the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation (NEDO), which will showcase its disaster prevention technology.
The event highlights robot tech for nursing care, such as remote monitoring systems and exoskeleton suits that help individuals with limited mobility.
Hiroshi Kobayashi, director of Innophys Co, a Tokyo-based venture affiliated with Tokyo University of Science, explained that the nursing care tech sector is expected to grow, even though the industry is quite conservative.
Taki Sakai, president of Unirbot, the Tokyo-based company that developed the robot Unibo, said that the market for smart robots will be getting “bigger and bigger”.
Japan has a global reputation as a pioneer in the field of robots, introducing many different inventions over the years and developing massive technological breakthroughs in the industry.
From the start of 2016, a partnership between a Kinki Nippon Tourist and FueTrek will look to offer small robots, tablets and wearable devices to help tourists understand the local language more easily.
According to TTG Asia, the technology will allow numerous languages to be interpreted simultaneously, which will make it simpler for groups to communicate.