Osaka:The wannabe robot capital of Japan
by chinarobot
OSAKA-It will probably be decades before a robot can bend it like Beckham. Or zigzag like Zidane, for that matter
In RoboCup soccer, the emphasis is still on simple running and kicking skills. But Osaka, the host city for next year's international soccer competition for robots, has a more lofty goal than emulating superhuman
thletes.
The nation's second largest city is determined to become its robot capital. The showdown next July of wheeled, four-legged and bipedal soccer machines from around the world is seen as just the kick-start needed to get the industry rolling.
It's not all fun and games, though. Local governments and businesses are working together to promote research and development of robot technologies in a diverse range of fields, from nursing care to teaching.
Fostering a humming robot industry is seen as a way to revitalize the local manufacturing sector, which is falling behind zones centered around Tokyo and Nagoya.
It is a comprehensive project. Small robot companies are being souped up with government grants and other support. Local technical high schools are also being retrofitted with robot engineering courses.
There are about 500 small and midsize firms working on robot-related technologies in Osaka.
Shinsaku Azuma, director of the Osaka Urban Industry Promotion Center, a public corporation affiliated with the city government, says the robots have the potential to play a key role in supporting people's everyday lives.
“Osaka has a good chance to become the center for the robot industry,'' he says.
Next week, the Business Innovation Center Osaka, operated by Azuma's center, will open the Robot Laboratory in downtown Osaka.
Local small and midsize companies and research institutes will be invited to set up in the 270-square-meter facility.
The plan is to make this a robot hothouse, where researchers will carry out experiments, hold demonstrations and exchange information.
Seven robot-related projects have already been awarded municipal government subsidies.
One project is developing a bipedal robot taking part in RoboCup 2005.
Leading the effort are Osaka University researchers, two Osaka companies-Systec Akazawa Co. and Vstone Corp.-and a Kyoto-based venture, Robo Garage.
The group, Team Osaka, was the creator of VisiON, winner of the humanoid category at this year's RoboCup held in Lisbon. For the Osaka event, the team is building a new humanoid that can talk.
“Robot projects offer good opportunities for small businesses to work together because they involve various types of technologies,'' says Systec Akazawa President Yohei Akazawa.
Osaka's robot lobby isn't confining its visions of autonomous machines to the sports field.
In May, the Kansai Economic Federation and the Osaka prefectural government jointly launched a program to support projects to develop next-generation robots that will assist people in their daily lives.
The prefectural government will allow developers to test their prototypes at government-affiliated hospitals, nursing homes and other public facilities.
Twenty-four projects in six categories have been selected as pilot projects.
Among them is a “life-care robot'' for elderly people living alone. Equipped with image processing and voice recognition functions, it will link to a nursing care center. Staff will be able to monitor the health of the owner and offer necessary advice through the robot.
To help cultivate a strong pool of robotics engineers, the prefectural board of education plans to launch specialized courses at three prefectural technical high schools.
total of eight 40-student classes will start next spring at Yodogawa school in Osaka's Asahi Ward, Joto school in Higashi-Osaka, and Fujiidera school in Fujiidera.
Students will be taught the hardware and software technology of robot production and design
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