OSAKA - A humanoid AI robot under development in Japan demonstrated what its developer described as a world-first gesture-recognition technology during a studio appearance, raising questions over whether Japan can regain ground in a field now led by the United States and China.
The robot, named cinnamon 1, was developed by Donut Robotics as a form of "physical AI," or artificial intelligence placed inside a machine body. While the United States and China are seen as global leaders in humanoid robots, the Japanese-made system appeared in the studio to show how it can converse, observe its surroundings and respond to human gestures.
Daisuke Goto, representative of Donut Robotics, said the robot is being designed to replace human labor in real-world settings such as construction sites. Cinnamon 1 is roughly 170 centimeters tall and weighs about 70 kilograms, a size close to that of a human worker. Its price is expected to be around 18 million yen. The robot’s body is made overseas, while its AI brain is developed in-house by Donut Robotics.
Cinnamon 1 entered the studio on foot and bowed to the people present, drawing attention for its human-like movements. The robot was then asked whether it knew actor Yukio Ozawa, but replied that it does not identify individual celebrities by appearance. When asked again, it said it could provide information about the actor’s works if given more details, but that it could not currently recognize him visually.
Asked what it is good at, the robot said it can provide information through conversation, explain situations while observing human movements, and communicate using simple gestures and actions. It said it could help with daily tasks such as greetings, giving directions and offering simple explanations.
The robot is equipped with cameras that allow it to describe its surroundings. When asked what kind of place it was in, cinnamon 1 said it appeared to be in a studio with many pieces of filming equipment, cameras and lights in front of it, while staff appeared to be working nearby. It also noted that behind it was a bright, well-appointed table where four people were seated, describing the rear area as resembling a talk-show set. Goto said a camera mounted at the back allows the robot to understand its environment in 360 degrees.
The main feature shown during the appearance was the robot’s ability to understand human gestures. A person held up one finger, and the robot responded by waving. When two fingers were shown, it bowed. Goto said the responses had been set in advance for the demonstration, but in a construction site the same kind of gesture could be linked to an action such as pushing a cart.
Goto said gesture-based control could be useful in noisy workplaces such as construction sites and airports, where voice commands may be difficult to hear. It could also allow multiple people to control a robot from different directions without using microphones. The robot was seen moving its head while people were speaking, as if checking its surroundings.
Commentators noted that Japan is widely seen as trailing the United States and China in AI development. One expert said the United States and China are now locked in a two-way contest, with China leading in production volume after pouring government subsidies into the sector and believed to hold about 90 percent of the humanoid robot market. The United States, the expert said, is pursuing higher quality.
The same expert said Japan still has a possible path to competitiveness because important components used in American robots are often made in Japan. The government is also positioning robotics as part of its growth strategy. Gesture-based control, rather than reliance on voice recognition, was also described as potentially useful for people with disabilities, making the technology more universal.
Goto said Japan’s strengths lie in both hardware and data. Although the United States and China have advantages in scale across both hardware and software, he said Japan has strong components such as actuators that can be combined with overseas-made bodies to create more capable hardware. He added that Japan also has workplace data and skills that can only be gathered domestically, citing the delicate techniques of sushi chefs as an example of knowledge that could be used to train AI.
The discussion also touched on labor shortages and what kinds of jobs humanoid robots may eventually replace. Goto said researchers and scholars may be among the easiest to replace because AI is already being used in research. Teachers could also be partly replaced as AI-based instruction advances. He said simple repetitive work is easier to automate, while jobs that have a major effect on human society or require judgment are more difficult.
Cooking robots are already emerging, Goto said, although creating award-winning cuisine remains difficult. Robots may be able to prepare more casual meals. Acting could also eventually be partly automated through memorizing lines and performing, though he said highly expressive performances by human actors would remain difficult to reproduce.
Doctors and politicians were described as harder to replace. Goto said robots may become technically capable of carrying out surgeries, but replacing doctors raises major ethical and legal challenges. As politicians make decisions for a country, he said whether AI or robots should take on such roles would be an extremely difficult question.
The discussion also considered whether robots’ appearance will evolve. Goto said China recently unveiled robots that are almost indistinguishable from humans, showing that progress in appearance is moving quickly. At the same time, he said some areas will remain difficult for AI, including the warmth of human skin and a sense of vitality, because robots do not possess life force. Jobs involving direct human contact and emotional presence are therefore likely to remain.
Experts said Japan’s ability to lead the field may depend on three factors: power supply, cost reduction and rare earth materials. More electricity will be needed to operate advanced robots, while manufacturers must continue lowering costs. Rare earths remain the central challenge because China holds overwhelming control over their supply. However, if Japan can develop components that do not rely on rare earths, experts said the country could have a chance to move to the forefront of humanoid robotics.
Source: YOMIURI
