Tokyo Weekender - October 2017

Not quite yet, but they are filling
in a few gaps, from hotel staff to
Buddhist monks. We take a look
at some of the positions currently
held by humanoids in Japan
Words by Matthew Hernon
In 1970 Japanese robotics professor Masahiro Mori identified
the concept of “Bukimi no Tani Gensho,” which became
known in English as "The Uncanny Valley." His hypothesis
stated that the anthropomorphism of robots was appealing
up to the point where they become too human-like, at
which stage our feelings change to those of revulsion.
Osaka University professor and roboticist Hiroshi
Ishiguro's 2015 creation Erica could be cited as an example.
The incredibly realistic-looking humanoid – which has sat
through numerous press conferences answering journalists’
questions, and can simulate human expressions – has been
described as the "most beautiful," and "the creepiest," robot
ever made.
Whichever side of the fence you sit on, there is no doubt
that for some people Mori's theory rings true. Another issue
is the fear that robots could make people redundant in the
future. According to studies by data analysis firm Nomura
Research Institute (NRI), around half of the jobs in Japan
could be done by artificial intelligence within 20 years.
While that may sound unnerving, in a country with an aging
population and a shrinking workforce would it really be
such a terrible thing?
The government here certainly doesn't think so. In
2015 the Robot Revolution Initiative Council was set up in
an effort to take robotics to another level. Since then we've
seen a growing number of Japanese robots making headlines
for their contributions to the service industry. In many
cases companies are using them more as public relations
tools than anything else, but it's still interesting to see the
progress that's being made. So what kind of jobs are they
currently doing? Here's a look at a few of the more intriguing
ones, some more useful than others.
HOTEL STAFF
A couple of months after the Robot Initiative Council was
launched, Henn-na (Weird) Hotel opened to much fanfare
in Nagasaki. It is the world's first hotel to be staffed mostly
by robots. On the reception desk, there are two multilingual
dinosaurs and a realistic-looking female humanoid with
eyelashes to greet customers and confirm bookings
(pictured right). If you are in the luxury wing an
incredibly slow-moving porter robot will then
carry your bags to the room while playing mu-