Abstract
This article presents the experience of a longlasting collaboration in robotics between the countries of Japan and Italy. The diversity of the approaches to robotics research and technology in the two countries and, at the same time, the similarity of some social drives for robotics progress have created a stimulus for generating new thinking about robotics. Not only has this occurred at the main participant institutions of Waseda University in Tokyo and Scuola Superiore Sant?Anna in Pisa, Italy, but it has also happened worldwide. The authors present a summary of the Italy-Japan workshops, exploring topics on 1) humanoid robotics, 2) the application of robotics for exploration and rescue, 3) biorobotics, 4) the use of robots in education, 5) the ethics of robotics, 6) robotics for sports, and 7) robotics for the arts. The experience of the workshops represents an example of an open-minded approach to robotics that is grounded on social challenges, explored through multidisciplinary discussion. Such interdisciplinary research efforts deserve to be shared with the international robotics community. Indeed, this approach could be used as a base model to foster further international collaborations among countries as well.
Highlights
And Japan are two countries with a long tradition in the design and production of robots, which traces back to Leonardo da Vinci’s automata in the Renaissance [1] and to Karakuri puppets used in Shinto festivals and in tea ceremonies since the 14th Century [2].As leading countries in this field, both have been widely applying robots in their industrial production, especially in the automotive sector (Figure 1a)
This paper aims at describing the evolution of robotics research in Italy, Japan and beyond in the last two decades, mapped through the themes (Figure 2b/c) touched by the Workshops: a) Humanoid robotics, b) Robots for rescue, exploration and to face natural disasters, c) Biorobotics, d) Robotics and Education, e) Ethical, social, legal and economic aspects of robotics, f) Robotics for sport and g) Robotics for arts
And Japan are two distant countries that have been historically playing a major role in robotics, and that feature several similar traits and problems
Summary
And Japan are two countries with a long tradition in the design and production of robots, which traces back to Leonardo da Vinci’s automata in the Renaissance [1] and to Karakuri puppets used in Shinto festivals and in tea ceremonies since the 14th Century [2].As leading countries in this field, both have been widely applying robots in their industrial production, especially in the automotive sector (Figure 1a). Similarities in social and geographical challenges are present Both countries have a sub-replacement fertility rate, with the TFR (Total Fertility Rate) of Italy at 1.46 and Japan 1.44 [3]. According to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan, there are over 30,000 nursery homes spread across the territory, and an even higher number of daycare facilities. In this context of ageing societies, there is a growing need for socially assistive devices, which have a potential market of 30 million users only in Japan, and for workforce provided by robotics. On the geographical aspect, the volcanic nature of the lands and the strong dependence on marine resources, make the territories of both countries very fragile ecosystems, exposed to earthquakes and extremely sensitive to climate change-related issues
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