Helper Robots Don't Impress Seniors in Japan
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Seniors lose interest quickly in mechanical helpmates, though some gadgets are a hit.
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A new generation of robotic vacuums is ready to do battle with dirt, dust and dog hair with more cleaning power and cunning than their ancestors could muster. Faced with the usual obstacles - furniture, stairs, low-hanging bed skirts and stray socks - they intelligently and acrobatically extricate themselves from most tight spots and largely avoid getting stuck or sucking in what they shouldn't.
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Nothing can possibly go wrong ... go wrong ... go wrong ...The truth behind the old joke is that most robots are programmed with a fairly rigid &quot;model&quot; of what they and the world around them are like.
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Thousands of elderly people who live alone in Tokyo have little social contact and face the prospect of a lonely death, according to a survey by an association of hospitals published this week.
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BEIJING, Aug.20(Xinhuanet) -- The world&#39;s lightest flying micro-robot has been developed by Japan&#39;s Seiko Epson Corporation.
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It can greet people, show DVDs and hand out balloons. "Ubiko," a robot-on-wheels with a catlike face, is joining the crew of temporary workers supplied by a Japanese job-referral company to stores, events and even weddings.
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An advanced robotic arm beats a host of other machines to win a Japanese government competition
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EMMELOORD, Netherlands  - Motorists nostalgic for the time they could sit tight while attendants braved windswept garage forecourts to fill their tanks may yet see those heady days return -- compliments of a Dutch robot.
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Household robots may help human carers look after the growing number of elderly Norwegians in years to come, enabling them to live longer and more comfortably in their own homes, a project leader told Reuters on Thursday.
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WAKO, Japan  - Honda Motor Co.'s humanoid robot  has been around: he's rung the famed bell at the New York Stock  Exchange, met Spain's king, and even traveled with Japan's  prime minister to Prague as a goodwill ambassador.
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A mechanical arm that can grab 120 items a minute from a conveyor belt won Japan's Robot of the Year award Thursday, defeating a dozen flashier finalists, including a walking humanoid and a transparent torso for simulating surgery.
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Well, not the world maybe, but possibly your lawns and kitchens. The use of robots -- especially as domestic help -- is expected to increase sevenfold by 2007, according to the United Nations.
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The elderly are being eyed as a potential market for personal assistant robots that could help them live independently longer.
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A robot that can taste and recommend wine and food is unveiled by Japanese researchers.
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GENEVA - The use of robots around the home to mow lawns, vacuum floors, pull guard duty and perform other chores is set to surge sevenfold by 2007, says a new survey that credits dropping prices.
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com October 20, 2004, 12:46 PM PT. There were over 600,000 household service robots in use worldwide in 2003, and more than 4 million new units should join them over the next three
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After the age of 80, carrying a  few extra pounds may not subtract years from your lifespan, a  new study from Japan shows.