Technology management in Japan: Robotics

1. Technology
Management in
Japan: Robotics
November 16, 2004
Eric Vanderburg
MBA, MCSE

2. History
• According to Webster a robot is: "An
automatic device that performs
functions normally ascribed to
humans or a machine in the form of a
human."
• The word Robotics was first used my
Isaac Asimov in a short story
published in 1942.

3. History
• Isaac Asimov’s three laws of
Robotics:
– Law One: A robot may not injure a
human being, or, through inaction, allow
a human being to come to harm.
– Law Two: A robot must obey orders
given it by human beings, except where
such orders would conflict with a higher
order law.
– Law Three: A robot must protect its own
existence as long as such protection
does not conflict with a higher order law.

4. History
• In 1956, Unimate, the first Robotics
company, was formed. The first
robots sold were used at GM to do
spot welding and die casting
extraction.
• Robots became popular in Japan
through Atom Boy and Ironman
manga.
• In the 1970’s we see the birth of
Japan’s robot industry
• Today Japan produces and uses
more robots than the rest of the globe
combined.

5. Uses
• Industrial
Manipulators
• Assisted Living
• Medical
• Hazardous /
Extreme
environments
• Unpleasant
jobs
• Military
• Construction
Work
• Exploration
• Security
• Toys
• Product
Testing
• Agriculture

6. Japanese Firms
• Sony
• Honda
• Kawasaki
• Toyota
• TMSUK
• ActiveLink
• Fujitsu
• Mitsubishi
• Fanuc

7. Global Competition
• US
– Unimate
– iRobot
• Canada
– MD Robotics
• Korea
– Samsung
Japan leads in robot production and innovation but
the US is first in robotics software

8. Recent Japanese Innovation
• Takayasu Sakurai, professor at the
University of Tokyo's Institute of
Industrial Science and his team has
developed artificial skin for robots.
• Flexible spines

9. Strategies & Challenges
• Always innovating
– Faster clock (Fanuc)
• Marketing - Stress quality of
robot output, flexibility, cost
savings, production cycle
reduction, and increased
safety.
• Making robots that are useful,
not just technically feasible

10. International Market
• Market is currently $5 billion
• New factory robots orders rose
35% in North America and
25% in Europe
• 770,000 robots worldwide, Half
in Japan
• 20,000 domestic-help robots
were sold worldwide last year

11. Predictions
• Market could grow to $5.4
billion this year
• Biggest growth over the next
three years will be in domestic
robots
• 1,550 Robot milking systems
by 2005
• 8,000 Surgical robots in 2005
• 2,000 bomb-disposal and
other security robots in next 3
years

12. Questions?