Bianca Bartz
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Starting next decade, Toyota plans to begin using advanced robots and humanoids as assistants. This goes hand-in-hand with the Japanese automotive company’s “Global Vision 2020” which outlines the aspiration to make robotics a core field of Toyota. Closer to 2010, Toyota hopes to have robots helping out not only in factories, but acting also as personal aids in homes and hospitals. The “mobility robots” have an astounding 17 joins in hands and arms and are designed to assist with domestic chores like house cleaning, as well as nursing and medical care. The “violin-playing robot” are 5 ft tall, two-legged robots which can play the stringed instruments, complete with vibrato. In order to achieve their goal, Toyota said they would be by doubling the amount of engineers in the next three years.  Researchers in Japan, including from academia and companies such as rival Honda Motor Co are racing to build robots smart enough to serve the needs of the elderly in a country where 40 percent of the population is expected to be over 65 by 2055.
"Over the next two to three years, we will put the robots to the test through trial applications and see what kind of business possibilities they present," Watanabe told a news conference.
(uk.reuters)References: uk.reuters Filed In: |
