Better Than People
From: Economist - 01/06/2006 - Vol. 377, No. 8458, P. 58

Japanese scientists continue to pursue research on human interfaces in an
effort to make robots that interact more easily with people or have human
features. At a world exposition this summer in Aichi prefecture, a nanny
robot was on display, and Sony and Honda continue to make progress on their
robots, QRIO and ASIMO, respectively. For Japan, the "service robot" will
help the nation address its population peak, and will allow young people to
focus more on filling science, business, and other creative or
knowledge-intensive jobs. The market for such robots could grow to $10
billion in a decade, according to a government report released in May. The
Japanese have embraced the idea of having robots care for the sick, pick up
trash, guard homes and offices, and provide direction on the street, and
leaders believe rolling out humanoid robots makes more sense than bringing in
foreign workers. However, the Japanese may be more comfortable around robots
because they have difficulties dealing with other people, especially
strangers. They have trouble communicating with others "because they always
have to think about what the other person is feeling and how what they say
will affect the other person," says Karl MacDorman, a researcher at Osaka
University. What is more, Japan does not appear to be concerned about the
impact that humanoid robots will have on society. 

Read the entire article at:
http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_id=5323427

Links:
QRIO
http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/QRIO/top_nf.html

ASIMO
http://asimo.honda.com

Karl MacDorman
http://robots.net/person/macdorman/

Why the Japanese love robots
http://isteve.blogspot.com/2006/01/why-japanese-love-robots.html