Why in Japan’s popular robots

Robot animal robots produce major Japanese corporations. The most famous of these robots is Aboy (AIBO), that in Japanese means "friendship", Sony. Now the third generation of these dogs has been on sale, significantly improved. However, the appearance of the artificial peel created by the famous designers of Tadashi Acukuka and Yuko Takeda is quite far from the image of a live dog, rather, he has all the features inherent in robots: no wool, only strict plastic metal color contours, "eyes" (visual sensors) are simultaneously serve and cameras.

But the behavior of aoscope is largely copied with dog behavior. Abo can walk, squat, sit and even chase a little ball. Artificial dog reacts to the owner’s voice: Skulit, when he scolded, and poured joyful lames when praised. During certain limits, it perceives the environment and has a learning ability.

By the way, there are "young" robots dogs that need to teach "from scratch", t. E. raise like a puppy, and there are already "adults" specimens, in which in the head (t. E. In the processor) laid many teams.

Originally, artificial dog cost more than $ 2000, now its price has decreased. If it is expensive for us, then for people living in countries with a high standard of living (and salaries), quite acceptable. Currently, in houses "live" more artificial dogs, most of them are in the States and Japan.

Now the electromechanical bull carriers of the Jenibo Korean company Dasatech go to change Aybo; their main feature, according to designers, is the "ability to understand human speech" – these robots understand and perform about 100 teams.

What does the soul live?

At all, it was not by chance that the robot animal robots turned out to be Japan. The Japanese live in a high-tech world, rich in all sorts of machines and electronics. But it’s not only that. In Japan, religion is widespread. Sintoism, according to which many phenomena and items – wind, trees, waterfalls, stones are endowed with a soul. But if there is a silent and fixed garden of stones for them – alive, then why not refer to an animated creature to artificial creation, especially for someone who is in limited limits, but communicates with a person?

Unlike European mechanical planting toys, Karakuri Ningo, like a person, had the right to make a mistake

In addition, in the XVIII century, the predecessors of the current robots were invented in Japan – mechanical toys Karakuri Ningo. Automatic dolls drove tea, Mahali Fan, played on musical instruments, danced, even committed acrobatic jumps. Moreover, unlike European mechanical clockwork toys, Karakuri Ningo, like a person, had the right to error. For example, a doll-boy made by Master Hisasyge Tanaka in the XIX in., shot from Luke, but could and miss; To his arrows hit the target, the toy should have time to adjust.

I must say that the people of Western civilizations, the time of the centuries considered artificial creatures almost like the embodiment of the devil. For example, an artificial man is a goel, created from the clay Rabbi Jehudo Ben Betzalel. Once at night, when Rabbi forgot to pull out a magical note from him, he fell into frenzy and ran through the dark streets, killing everyone who came across his path while Rabbi could not catch it up and tool. They say, the golem still wanders on the streets of Prague, guarding the Jews ..

For the Japanese, the robot is a very pretty and good-natured creature, always ready to come to the aid of people. By the way, on the basis of the Tanaki’s workshop, the powerful Toshiba corporation subsequently increased. So, as you can see, the dog Abo and her artificial tribesmen were worthy predecessors. It is not surprising that cross-cultural studies of the behavior in relation to the dog-robot dog in Japan and Switzerland showed that the Japanese kids are much more positively perceived Aboy, rather than their Swiss peers. The author of this work, Akimi Yokoyama, wrote about this: "It turned out that robot animal, at least in Japan, carries a part of the charm of a real living being, although it cannot be replaced realistically".

Caring for the rights of animals

Another reason for the spread of animal robots in Japan is great difficulties with the content of pets there. It is still forbidden to keep dogs and cats in apartments, it is possible only in private houses (however, in those houses that are built for lovers in modern projects, there is even a special shower for dogs and a separate cabin – a feline toilet in the bathroom). The content of dogs costs very expensive – they have to spend at least $ 6,000 per year on them, so this pleasure is not for the poor (compare with the price of artificial dogs, which you only need to change batteries).

When the dog begins to bark or whine, the sensors capture the noise and the image of a dog and text like a mobile phone is transmitted to the mobile phone screen: "Come back rather". This text is the result of translation from the "dog" language to Japanese; For this, serves "dog translator"

But the Japanese are ready to invest in their living pets even more. Now they can communicate with them already on a mobile phone! This happens as follows. Camcorders and special devices are installed in the house. When the dog begins to bark or whine, the sensors capture the noise and the image of a dog and text like a mobile phone is transmitted to the mobile phone screen: "Come back rather".

This text is the result of translation from the "dog" language to Japanese; For this, serves a "dog translator" created by Takara Tomy, a manufacturer of intelligent toys, transformer machines and companion robots. This device is attached on the collar and analyzes Lai, howl and other sounds, it catches the mood nuances and transmits them in the form of human speech.

The emergence of this translator in the market caused a real boom, although its creators was awarded to the Schnobel Prize (award, annually for the most useless discoveries and inventions). Nevertheless, many Japanese acquired it. After the success of the translator of a dog "Speech", Takara Tomy is now moving towards the release of translators from cat: meowing will be passed on the device screen size with palm. At our rumor it sounds ridiculous and even wildly – we used to understand our cats and peskov without words, to express the physiognomy, by posture and position of the tail ..

For every taste

Now, except for the dog Aboy and other animal robots as high level, there is a whole zoo of more primitive – and, accordingly, the order of cheaper – artificial animals, which can be bought in the store or order on the Internet. The simplest of them are almost fixed, but very funny "individuals".

With interactive chicken moma it is interesting to communicate. On touch, it reacts with a random vague phrase on difficult to disassemble English; If the chicken does not touch, it falls asleep, and if you have to play with her at least half an hour, she begins to behave more and more restlessly and, finally, it makes no egg on the light, but already ready chicken. And with him sings a cheerful song.