Receptionist And Porter Robots Make Debut At Japanese Hospital

An elderly patient on a wheel chair shakes hands a guide at the waiting lounge of the Aizu Central Hospital in Aizu-Wakamatsu city in Fukushima prefecture, some 200km north of Tokyo 28 October 2006. Photo courtesy of and AFP.

by Staff Writers
Tokyo (AFP) Nov 4, 2006
Robots have made their debut at a Japanese hospital where an android receptionist and two porters now work alongside their human counterparts. Aizu Central Hospital in Aizu-Wakamatsu some 200 kilometers (124 miles) north of Tokyo introduced the trio on October 28 at a cost of 60 million yen (508,000 dollars). The receptionist robot, produced by Japanese robot maker Tmsuk Co. Ltd., welcomes visitors at the entrance and answers spoken inquiries.

The two porter robots, which can move around on two wheels at a maximum speed of 1.5 kilometers per hour (about one mph), can carry luggage and take visitors and patients to their destinations.

The 1.3 meter (four-foot four-inch) high white-and-green robotic porters can also alert people to obstacles with their sensors.

"They are the nation's first receptionist and porter robots actually working in a hospital, and people's reactions to them are quite positive," hospital official Naoya Narita said.

"By introducing them, we want to show the scene of a future hospital, where robots are getting along with patients and visitors," Narita said, adding that the hospital is considering introducing another robot next year.

Japan leads the world's robotic industries in fields ranging from manufacturing to entertainment and security. Last year, Japanese companies unveiled a horde of prototype androids at the World Expo in central Japan.

Source: Agence France-Presse

ROBO SPACE

iRobot Unveils New Technology For Simultaneous Control Of Multiple Robots

Burlington MA (SPX) Nov 02, 2006
iRobot has released the first public photo of a new project in development, code named Sentinel. This innovative new networked technology will allow a single operator to simultaneously control and coordinate multiple semi-autonomous robots via a touch-screen computer.

SUPERPOWERS China The Anti-Superpower Or The Second Hyperpower Bush Says China Saving Too Much Money US Asks China To Be Open With Military Ties With Southeast Asia China Wants Closer Defense Ties With SE Asia	NUKEWARS China Wields Power With North Korea, But Only A Little Iran Fires First Longer-Range Missiles In War Games North Korea To Rejoin Talks On Nuclear Program Iran To Step-Up Sensitive Nuclear Activities
MISSILE NEWS Iran To Fire Ballistic Missiles In War Games North Korea Launched Five Missiles South Korea Successfully Tests Longer-Range Cruise Missile Unique Surface-To-Air Missile Baffles Foreign Military Diplomats In Egypt	MISSILE DEFENSE ThalesRaytheonSystems Battle Control System Declared Operational in Alaska, Hawaii And Canada Lockheed Martin Delivers Key Payload Hardware For Second Missile Warning Satellite USAF Seeks SBIRS Alternatives SBIRS Payload Acoustic Tested
AEROSPACE Global Aviation Industry Gathers For Key Chinese Air Show China Marks 50th Anniversary Of Aerospace Industry German-Chinese Aviation Opens New Horizons For Cooperation GAO Report On Progress Of Implementing Aerospace Recommendations	UAV NEWS Raytheon Gets FAA Experimental Certificate for Cobra Unmanned Aircraft System GA-ASI And CBP Deploy Second UAS Along Southwest Border Raytheon Announces Revolutionary New 'Cockpit' For Unmanned Aircraft Northrop Grumman Enters Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Competition
IRAQ WARS Understanding Iraq Averting Defeat In Iraq Bush, Iraq And Terror White House Dismisses Chart Of Iraq Sliding Toward Chaos	MILTECH BAE Systems First Round From NLOS Cannon Firing Platform American Technology Announces New LRAD Orders Light Weight Structural Ballistic Protection For Defence Vehicles BAE Systems To Produce Attack Pod Tester For US Air Force

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement