Shaping Our Future Along with Robots From: Japan Times - 12/31/2006 By: Tomoko Otake Tsukuba University professor of engineering Yoshiyuki Sankai, who is a leader in the field of "cybernics," where robotics meets various academic disciplines, was recently interviewed concerning his expectations for robotics in the near future. He thinks that in 2007 robotics efforts will benefit from the 2005 government decision to "move on from the exploration of basic technologies and start making prototypes, and also standardize our technologies, both hardware and software, to foster the development of robots. In 2007, several organizations will start test-marketing robot products." Pet robots, hobby robots, and serious robots will all be developed, in large part to help Japan's aging population. By 2020, Sankai predicts that "robots and robotic technologies will be fully integrated in our lives." His company's current projects are focusing on medical applications, but future projects will focus on construction and fabrication work. Sankai says that "mankind has given up on evolution by inventing and utilizing various technologies. The gap between technology and people has been big until now. But computers have become much easier to use, which means people and technology are getting closer." He stresses that technology is everywhere and is cutting down on distances between people, therefore becoming an "extended part of ourselves." At the same time, he points out that we must be careful of "technology getting out of control." Read the entire article at: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20061231x4.html Links: Yoshiyuki Sankai, Inventor of the Week Archive - Hybrid Assistive Limb http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/sankai.html Fascinating Documentary on Yoshiyuki Sankai - Father of the Modern Cyborg http://tvinjapan.com/blog/2006/11/01/fascinating-documentary-on-yoshiyuki-sankai-father-of-the-modern-cyborg/ Rise of the Cyborg http://www.forbes.com/2006/08/17/cz_tc_0817egangbots.html?partner=rss Robot Suit HAL-5 http://www.g-mark.org/search/Detail?id=32900&lang=en Robot suit will help quadriplegic scale the heights http://www.theage.com.au/news/breaking/robot-suit-will-help-quadriplegic-scale-the-heights/2006/04/04/1143916503382.html The bionic trousers http://www.we-make-money-not-art.com/archives/004096.php Exoskeletons http://www.plyojump.com/exoskeletons.html Japan ready to market "robot suit" http://www.accessibility.com.au/news/health/robosuit.htm Bionic suit offers wearers super-strength http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=mg18624945.800