日本機器人能說會畫 爲老年人分憂

Robots that can chat, find misplaced glasses, draw aeroplanes and play with your children are attracting thousands of visitors during an expo in Tokyo as Japan adapts to changes in society.

Robots, such as the sound-sensitive Chapit, answer simple questions and even joke with people to help the solitary fight loneliness and stay alert in old age.

"Many older people in Japan live alone and have no one to talk to," said Kazuya Kitamura, a representative of the expo organizer. "Communication robots accompany people and don't mind listening to the same stories over and over again."

While Chapit, a relatively simple robot, managed to attract a corporate partner, many researchers, such as Kiyoshi Matsumoto, a professor at the University of Tokyo, struggle to attract sponsors for more expensive projects.

Matsumoto's "Personal Mobility Robot," equipped with four cameras and a sensor to recognize the user's centre of gravity, is designed to help elderly move around without pressing buttons, using joysticks or rotating wheels as in traditional wheelchairs.

The robot can also help find misplaced spectacles by identifying them with a sensor.

"We have developed a robot that can assist many people, but because of the high cost, we still haven't found a sponsor," said Matsumoto, who added that the cost of the machine, if mass-produced, would be comparable to that of a compact car.

"In the current economic environment there are few companies willing to invest in such a costly project," he said.

Other robots, such as the award-winning "DiGRO" can support busy parents who have little time to play with their children.

The robot can use the Internet to find a simple image and then draw pictures, keeping children company while parents work.

Japan has one of the world's fastest-ageing societies and the government predicts that by 2050 the proportion of people over 65 will reach 40 percent.

在日本東京日前舉辦的一個博覽會上，能與人交談、幫人找眼鏡、會畫飛機以及能陪孩子玩耍的機器人吸引了成千上萬的參觀者。日本研發出的這些新型機器人主要是爲了適應社會的需要。

其中像聲控型機器人Chapit等（能與人交流的）機器人能回答簡單提問，甚至會與人逗笑，可以給人解悶，讓老年人保持活力。

博覽會組織方代表葛屋北村說：“日本很多老年人都是一個人生活，沒人說話。能與人交流的機器人可與人們做伴，同一個故事無論聽多少遍也沒關係。”

設計相對簡單的機器人Chapit吸引了一位公司合夥人的注意，但包括東京大學教授松本清在內的很多研究人員則正在爲高投入項目尋找贊助商。

松本清研發的“個人機動機器人”配有四個照相機和一個可識別使用者重心的傳感器，這款機器人解決了傳統輪椅的不便，老年人無需再通過按按鈕、使用操縱桿或轉動車輪來四處走動。

這款機器人還可以通過傳感器來幫人們找到弄丟的眼鏡。

松本清說：“我們已經研發了一款可以幫助很多人的機器人，但由於成本昂貴，還沒有找到贊助商。”據他介紹，如果大批量生產，這款機器人的成本相當於一輛小汽車。

他說：“在目前的經濟環境下，很少有公司願意投資成本這麼高的項目。”

曾獲獎的DiGRO等機器人可以爲沒時間陪孩子的家長分憂。

這款機器人可以通過網絡找到簡單的圖像，然後把它畫下來，在家長出去上班的時候陪小孩玩。

日本是全球老齡化速度最快的國家之一。據日本政府預測，截至2050年，日本65歲以上的老年人佔總人口的比例將達40%。

Vocabulary:

mass-produced: produced or manufactured (goods) in large quantities, esp. by machinery（大量生產的）

compact car: 小型汽車