Japanese robot companies join forces to compete with South Korea

South Korea has already made its ambitious robot plans quite well known, and it now looks like a group of Japanese robot companies are doing their best to stay in the race, with them forming a consortium of sorts that they say will let them cooperate in the research, development and marketing of robots. Currently, that group includes Tokyo's ZMP, Nagoya's Business Design Laboratory, Vstone (makers of the Black Ox pictured above), and Tmsuk, each of which will apparently initially focus on "simple service robots" designed to keep watch on the elderly, pets, and children. They're not getting much more specific than that just yet, unfortunately, with one of the company's CEOs only going so far as to say that, "in ten years, robots may be able to help out around the house," but that he doesn't "necessarily know that robots should do everything."

[Frun @ Jun 18th 2008 2:41PM]

Guess this is a good time as any to sign myself up for some robot insurance.

[Najakwa @ Jun 18th 2008 2:54PM]

An insurance policy with a robot plan? Certainly, I'm too old.

[Rainier @ Jun 18th 2008 4:43PM]

@Frun
Your comment + your avatar pic = perfect combination!

[okayokay @ Jun 18th 2008 6:46PM]

Ranier is correct-

so Very witty and Nice picture (love the cartoon)!


I'm still laughing loudly!

[PGP-Protector @ Jun 18th 2008 2:43PM]

And now the seeds of our doom have truly been planted.

[initialxy @ Jun 18th 2008 2:44PM]

Got the Three Laws working yet?

[Sharakar @ Jun 18th 2008 2:47PM]

Personally I would like to welcome our robotic overlords!! ( I know it's old but i never had the chance to say it)

More importantly, it's been 1 whole news page with no news related to apple/mac/iphone. Gz Engadget, keep up with the abstency.

[Sharakar @ Jun 18th 2008 2:53PM]

Edit: I just double checked, it's actually a new record of 2.5 pages.

[jason @ Jun 18th 2008 6:07PM]

but they did compare the instinct to the iphone

[Mycroft @ Jun 18th 2008 2:52PM]

It is now official, 75% of Japan's GDP is dedicated to the development of robots you can have sexual intercourse with.


The other 25% is dedicated to developing robots that can have sexual intercourse with each other.

[kal326 @ Jun 18th 2008 3:22PM]

I wonder if that means in the near future you can buy used joint grease out of a vending machine like you can currently buy other previously used products out of vending machines?

[Low Ranked @ Jun 18th 2008 2:53PM]

Judging by the trees, these robots look much too large to keep watch on granny.

[initialxy @ Jun 18th 2008 2:59PM]

it's japan, those are bonsai

[Leroy Vargas @ Jun 18th 2008 11:47PM]

Yes, but the bonsai there actually plays the role of a full-size tree beside two raging robots (played by two 1:64-scale toys, I believe) who, according to Mitsuteru Yokoyama's comic books, are 10x or so taller than humans.

[farfisa @ Jun 18th 2008 2:57PM]

The humans know too much.

[Flibble @ Jun 18th 2008 3:04PM]

I, for one, welcome our new robot overlords.

[irfan @ Jun 18th 2008 3:09PM]

HEY!! THAT ROBOT IS FROM SWAT CATS

[Leroy Vargas @ Jun 18th 2008 11:44PM]

WRONG!!!!!! SWAT KATS my bottom. These two robots are Black Ox and Tetsujin 28 (a.k.a. Gigantor) from some Japanese manga/anime by late Mitsuteru Yokoyama (and a live-action+CG movie was also spun off this, and yes in the movie they're much larger than humans, so the bonsai was put there to mimic a full-size tree and blend with the robots' 1:64 scale)

[cit9 @ Jun 18th 2008 3:43PM]

http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/video-fujitsus-navirobot-smells-beer-tells-you-where-to-find/

and yet NaviRobo could win a duel against either of those two, with ease!

[Ras Thavas @ Jun 18th 2008 3:51PM]

Where do I get one of those Gigantor robots that is laying on the table?

[Leroy Vargas @ Jun 18th 2008 11:48PM]

Search for it on eBay.

[sinai @ Jun 18th 2008 3:54PM]

TAEKWON V IS SUPERIOR!

[Uchiha Sasuke @ Jun 18th 2008 4:12PM]

So, I'm assuming the joint forces' first project is Voltron?

[Jhongerkong @ Jun 18th 2008 4:53PM]

Oh shit! Its EVIL ULTRAMAN.

[LouiseV @ Jun 18th 2008 5:18PM]

I think the robots are from old Japanese robot cartoon.
this?
http://cgi.ebay.com.my/Kaiyodo-Revoltech-Tetsujin-28-Black-OX_W0QQitemZ290239662500QQihZ019QQcategoryZ19198QQcmdZViewItem

[Christian @ Jun 18th 2008 5:27PM]

so robot wars are really gonna start sooner?

[Twitchy @ Jun 18th 2008 6:37PM]

Yep - even money that the first one is between Japan and Korea. Purely as a proof of concept of course.

[darlisd @ Jun 21st 2008 2:31AM]

Wooow......looks like Mazinger-Z will soon come true.