Speaking of domestic and foreign industrial robots, four manufacturers, “FANUC, Yasukawa Electric, ABB, and KUKA” are typical, but the robot “AIBO” that imitates SONY’s pet dog, SoftBank’s “pepper”, and recently Entertainment robots such as “RoBoHoN, Nemov, and Rabot” are gaining popularity, and the level is such that the domestic robot boom is coming.
Image quote: (https://japanese.engadget.com/2018/10/16/nemoph/)
The difference of values
However, why is such an entertaining robot mainly in the Japanese market and not booming overseas?
There are exceptions, but it seems that robots are just machines, and the value of seeing them as objects of affection is different from that of Japan.
In Japan, there is an idea that “tools also have a soul”, and tools that have been used for a long time have a strong attachment and sometimes have a custom of offering memorial services. Not only naturally grown trees and plants, but also tools and machines. Japan’s actions such as “calling out” may be different overseas.
Anthropomorphic in Japan
Anthropomorphization in Japanese anime and manga seems to be a little different from Japan.
Japan transplants parts of animals and things based on humans by anthropomorphization, but if we take the United States as an example, we will put elements (parts) such as human eyes and ears based on animals and things.
In recent years, due to the influence of anime and manga, it seems that human-based anthropomorphism is gradually being understood.
The idea that robots are dangerous
As depicted in movies such as “Robocop Eye, Robot” where humans and robots confront each other, it is common in Europe and the United States to think that robots should be subject to humans.
There is a risk of rebellion and he is on an equal footing with humans, so to speak, there is no such thing as human rights, and he does not seek a role as an object of affection in the first place.
In other words, [robots are not objects to be loved].
Overseas expansion of “aibo”
Meanwhile, Sony’s “aibo” started selling to the United States in September last year as the first overseas expansion.
Although there was a reaction from the American people that it was “cute”, it seems that there was a question as to whether there was a demand for robot dogs in the first place due to the fact that the threshold for keeping dogs is low in the United States where the land is large.
There seemed to be some reactions asking, “What can I do in the first place?”, But I think it’s an American way of thinking.
SONY has not disclosed the sales results in the United States, but it is very worrisome how much it has caught the hearts of people living in the United States.