Message from the President June.2022

The concept of robots is now spreading rapidly. The word "robot" may remind many people of large industrial robots and humanoids. In recent years, we see home electric appliances such as vacuum cleaning robots and air conditioners with cleaning robots. What is the definition of robots?

According to “Report by the Robot Policy Committee” published by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in 2006, a robot is defined as an intelligent mechanical system that incorporates three technological elements: sensing, intelligence and control, and drive. In a broader sense, autonomous driving systems and drones fall under the category of robots. On the other hand, robotic process automation and software robots such as chatbots do not, because these intelligent systems do not have drive parts.

However, experts are split in terms of how they define robots. In fact, there is still no consensus about the definition among specialized research institutions and university professors. That reflects ongoing rapid changes in robots through the incorporation of next-generation technologies. Specialists should think it is vital to come up with a definition that anticipates future developments, not a definition that merely represents past and present robots.

My own definition of robots is goods and services that perform different things uniformly and autonomously in place of humans. I take a flexible approach in thinking of robots in terms of fulfilling roles and functions, irrespective of whether it is tangible or not.

Soft robotics is one trend towards a future of the robot industry. Including human collaboration robots, soft robotics is flexible and compliant, and is now attracting considerable R&D attention. Instead of separate operations, the cohabitation of robots working and living together with humans will develop further. Soft robotics extends to a broad range of technological elements, including drive, sensing, control, artificial intelligence and materials. It provides all engineers with places and opportunities in which they can play active roles.

I hope that engineers will display their skills to increase the number of fields where robots can be deployed and, by extension, to realize a rich, safe and sustainable society.