In a land where robots reign, it seems no surprise that Japanese cybernauts have invaded yet another heretofore unexplored region of human endeavor. Read on and try some noodles, but no talking to the chef.
Japanese inventors are always pushing the envelope when it comes to creating tasks and robots to perform them. It was just a matter of time before the world of culinary creation took hold and now it has. According to
news sources, prototype robo-chefs had their moments in the sun this week at the International Food Machinery and Technology Expo in Tokyo where they displayed their cooking skills by flipping Japanese okonomiyaki (pancakes,) serving sushi and slicing vegetables to perfection.
In the words of Narito Hosomi, president of Toyo Riki:
“We all know that robots can be very useful. We want to take that utility out of the factory so that they can be used elsewhere.”
Robots fill many needs in Japanese culture and society and national scientific circles are enthralled with their potential. Japan is home to almost half the world's 800,000 industrial robots and the industry is expected to expand to $10 billion.Being that Japan has one of the world's fastest growing elderly populations, experts say robots can fill in the gap for the lack of younger people not willing to take on jobs as chefs, cleaners or caretakers.
Masanori Hirano of the Kyoto-based robot lab, Squse, developed the android sushi waiter. He firmly believes (Hirano, not the robot) that these robots could help manage the stress associated with fine dining establishments.
“If a human does this job, it can be stressful. And if so, they can leave the work to the robot.”
The vegetable-slicing robot is the invention of Tomio Sugiura, president of Sugiura Kikai Sekkei, whose company is betting on the fact that every Japanese home will have its own culinary robot in the very near future. He says:
“Nowadays, almost every family has a car. In the near future, every family would be having a humanoid robot that can help out with various chores at home.”
I have two questions:
Doe she or she (or it) do windows and are they free every other Thursday afternoon?
What do YOU think about this?
