Article written by Kevin LAURENTI
Toyota, the Japanese car manufacturer, has announced the commercialization of a new product they presented last October 4th during the CEATEC JAPAN 2016. This event is about new technology in Japan. This new product is the KIROBO MINI.
The KIROBO
MINI is a 10cm tall humanoid robot weighing 183g created to be the new
companion everybody needs.
This
android is the evolution of the KIROBO (Kibo ROBOt project = Hope robot) developed
by Toyota and sent to the international space station in August 2013 to study robotic assistance in space missions.
This first
robot was about 34cm tall and weighed of 1kg.
Those
robots are able to express themselves, move and understand Japanese via vocal
recognition, a voice synthesizer, facial recognition and audio recording.
WHY CREATE ROBOTS FOR PEOPLE?
Toyota's official position is the following: ‘Toyota believes artificial
intelligence has significant potential to support future industrial
technologies and the creation of an entirely new industry.’
(Toyota press release Nov.6, 2015 http://newsroom.toyota.co.jp/en/detail/10171645)
In this perspective, Toyota decided to invest $1 billion in Research and Development over a 5
year program which is Toyota Research Institute Inc. located near Stanford University,
California, U.S.A. in the Silicon Valley.
But the
unofficial reason is that in Japan the birthrate is plummeting. Older people
have strong feelings of loneliness. This little humanoid would be a substitute
to a child or just a presence, someone to talk to in order to fight loneliness.
The result
of this program, the Toyota Heart Project, is KIROBO MINI.
HOW WOULD THE KIROBO
MINI BE USEFUL?
Let’s be
honest, for now, KIROBO MINI is just able to answer simple questions, recognize
someone’s face, detect some human emotions and talk about them.
You can
connect it to your mobile device with Bluetooth and it will be able to look on
the internet to find answers to your questions.
The main
feature is that all the KIROBO MINI are connected to a Toyota cloud and they
are able to learn from their users. They become more and more intelligent with
their adaptive skills and gain more and more features over time. For example, it can assist you while you drive by giving you advice for a shorter way or to
warn you about traffic jam ahead.
The aim for
the future is to develop an AI that surpasses humans in the field of driving so
that you will just have to set a destination and your car will simply bring you
there without any trouble. More than a simple assistant, this AI will be your
personal driver and maybe like a friend to you.
KIROBO MINI
can also remind you of things you told them about and help you remember it
yourself, or encourage you when you feel down and help you not give up against
life.
WHEN AND
WHERE WILL IT BE AVAILABLE?
For now,
this cute little robot will only be available in Japan. The reason is ‘in
Japan, everything has a soul, it’s a unique concept, in which extent would it
have been understand somewhere else, we need to think about it’ declared Fuminari
Kataoka, the project manager. The release date isn’t defined yet but it
will be in 2017 for sure.
(Fuminari
Kataoka, chief of the project)
This
‘Partner Robot’ will cost ¥39 800 (€350) plus ¥300 per month for the use of the Toyota cloud.
As for the sales outlets, it was decided that Tokyo and Toyota’s
headquarter region, Aichi prefecture will be first. They can be reserved online.
With KIROBO
MINI, Toyota make another step towards the future and allow everybody to make this
step.
The
imaginary world of science-fiction with robots that have been thought since several decades ago is not
really that far ahead.
For now,
let’s wait and see what this little guy will do and what technology can bring
us to improve our lives.
Maybe it
will open our eyes on new possibilities !
Hello Kevin,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your article.
Indeed, this is very interesting to see the role such robots could play in the future.
You also mention that the KIROBO MINI "encourages you when you feel down and helps you not give up against life". I strongly recommend you to watch the film called "Her" produced by Spike Jonze. This is a story which allows to understand what could be the role of a companion robot and the consequences of owning such a thing..
I have also a question concerning your article. Do you think that this product could attract old people who are not used to this kind of technology ?
I'm looking forward to hearing from you.
Illya G.
Thank you Illya for your comment.
DeleteI take note of this movie and I'll watch later.
To answer your question, it's true that old people doesn't really seem to be able to understand and use this technology. However, Japan is a little bit different. Robots and advanced technologies are already almost everywhere so I don't think it's really a problem for them. But as you said, "who are not used to this kind of technology", in their case, I don't think they will purchase and use this kind of technology in the first place.
I hope I gave you a satisfying answer.
Kevin L.
P.S.
DeleteFor more information, please take a look at Agathe's article about robot. I may give you some information to understand Japanese state of mind about robots
Kevin L.
Hi Kevin
ReplyDeleteThank you for this article. Your article raised my attention because as you may have seen I have published an article about a similar topic so I found that interesting to see how the growing robot industry is raising people's curiosity.
Regarding this robot, I would like to know what do you think about the usefulness of such a robot because personally I think having such a robot as a partner of living is kind of weird. Even if we talk about the driving assistance tool, there is already GPS right ? Isn't it enough ?
Also, as Illya mentionned in the previous comment, I'm also curious to know if you think old person would buy such a high technology product where as they didn't have much of these in their youth ? I should agree that old person sometimes feel lonely and having a pet to fill this loneliness can be a lot of work for them as they have to care about their pet but also there can be a problem of deciding who would care about the pet after the old person die but to say the truth, I hardly imagine an old person discussing with a robot.
Agathe P.
Thank you for your comment Agathe.
DeleteAs I said to Illya, Japan is a little bit different. Robots and advanced technologies are already almost everywhere so I don't think it's really a problem for them.
So there is a high probability that they will.
Thank you for sharing your opinion about it. Appreciate.
Kevin L.
Hi Kevin
ReplyDeleteI found your article very interesting. As Agathe and Illya already mentioned it, this product may not be very suitable for seniors, however I find very interesting that technologies are created in order to find solutions to the aging of the population and particularly to their loneliness . You mention in your article that these robots are all connected to a Toyota cloud with allows the company to learn from their users. Don't you not think that there is a risk that these new humanoids are used by the company as a way to spy on its customers and collect data on them without their knowledge?
Thank you for your comment Hélène.
DeleteIt's true that it doesn't really fit the image that we have of old people, but Japan is really different and people are more open to new technologies, even old people.
Thank you for your question. Indeed that raise another issues. What happen to the data shared in the cloud?
Toyota's official line is that this data will be use to create a more efficient driving system and even auto-pilot for car. However, everyday information and people information may be sell to some companies. It can happen. Be since I'm not sure about that, I don't really want to say something irelevant.