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Humanoid and quadruped robots for disaster relief

AI-equipped humanoid (L) and quadruped robots are pictured during an experiment on March 10, 2026, in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan. The Building Research Institute, which jointly developed the robots with Pocket Queries Inc., conducted the experiment to test their abilities for use in disaster relief.

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Humanoid and quadruped robots for disaster relief

AI-equipped humanoid (L) and quadruped robots are shown to the press on March 10, 2026, in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan. The Building Research Institute, which jointly developed the robots with Pocket Queries Inc., conducted an experiment to test their abilities for use in disaster relief the same day.

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Humanoid and quadruped robots for disaster relief

AI-equipped humanoid (R) and quadruped robots are shown to the press on March 10, 2026, in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan. The Building Research Institute, which jointly developed the robots with Pocket Queries Inc., conducted an experiment to test their abilities for use in disaster relief the same day.

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7th CIIE - Shanghai

Visitors interact with robots during the 7th China International Import Expo -CIIE- in east China's Shanghai, Nov. 9, 2024. The 7th CIIE was held here from Nov. 5 to 10. Many exhibitors offered various interactive activities for visitors to learn about their products and services. Photo by Xinhua/Wang Yijie/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Foreign experience officer witnesses advanced skills of intelligent robots in SW China

STORY: Foreign experience officer witnesses advanced skills of intelligent robots in SW China SHOOTING TIME: June 23, 2024 DATELINE: June 24, 2024 LENGTH: 00:02:14 LOCATION: CHONGQING, China CATEGORY: TECHNOLOGY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Chongqing 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): ALINA IZOTOVA, Russian experience officer 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): ZHU YISONG, Chongqing Mechanical Technician College 4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): ALINA IZOTOVA, Russian experience officer 5. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): ZHU YISONG, Chongqing Mechanical Technician College 6. SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): ALINA IZOTOVA, Russian experience officer and ZHU YISONG, Chongqing Mechanical Technician College 7. SOUNDBITE 6 (Chinese): ZHU YISONG, Chongqing Mechanical Technician College 8. SOUNDBITE 7 (Chinese): ALINA IZOTOVA, Russian experience officer 9. SOUNDBITE 8 (Chinese): ZHU YISONG, Chongqing Mechanical Technician College 10. SOUNDBITE 9 (Chinese): ALINA IZOTOVA, Russian experience officer STORYLINE: Chongqing, China The 2nd Belt and Road International S

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CHINA-FUJIAN-QUANZHOU-SANANBIO-PLANT FACTORY (CN)

(240510) -- QUANZHOU, May 10, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Intelligent robots work at a plant factory of Sananbio in Anxi County of Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, May 8, 2024. Sananbio, a joint venture between the Institute of Botany under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Sanan Group, a Chinese optoelectronics giant, has developed an intelligent plant cultivating system integrating research and development results with LED lighting technology, and applied it to a new-generation automated plant factory. The plant factory can achieve a daily industrial production of 1.5 tonnes of vegetables, that could supply vegetables stably to nearby cities such as Fuzhou, Xiamen and Quanzhou. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

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Xinhua Headlines: Common prosperity goals catalyze regional cooperation in China's Yangtze River Delta

(240421) -- HANGZHOU, April 21, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Robots weld bodyshells of cars at a workshop of Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Li Auto Inc. in Changzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 10, 2024. (Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

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Xinhua Headlines: China unveils 2024 growth targets with focus on high-quality development

(240305) -- BEIJING, March 5, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Robots weld bodyshells of cars at a workshop of Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Li Auto Inc. in Changzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 10, 2024. (Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

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Xinhua Headlines: Along low-carbon pathways, how this Chinese city thrives on new-energy ambitions

(240215) -- NANJING, Feb. 15, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Robots weld bodyshells of cars at a workshop of Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Li Auto Inc. in Changzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 10, 2024. (Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

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CHINA-JIANGSU-CHANGZHOU-ECONOMIC GROWTH (CN)

(240130) -- CHANGZHOU, Jan. 30, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Robots weld bodyshells of cars at a workshop of Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Li Auto Inc. in Changzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 10, 2024. Dubbed as a capital of new energy, Changzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province, reported a regional gross domestic product (GDP) of 1.01 trillion yuan (about 140.8 billion U.S. dollars) in 2023, up 6.8 percent year on year, the local statistics department said Tuesday. With a population of around five million, Changzhou has become the least populated Chinese city with a regional GDP of over one trillion yuan, joining Suzhou, Nanjing, Wuxi, and Nantong as the fifth city in Jiangsu Province to achieve this milestone. (Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

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China's Shenzhen a good place for innovation: Italian engineer

STORY: China's Shenzhen a good place for innovation: Italian engineer SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 5, 2024 DATELINE: Jan. 6, 2024 LENGTH: 00:03:06 LOCATION: SHENZHEN, China CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Shenzhen 2. SOUNDBITE (English): LEONARDO DE PALO, Italian engineer STORYLINE: Leonardo de Palo is an Italian engineer working in south China's Shenzhen. He said the megacity empowers his career of making robots. SOUNDBITE (English): LEONARDO DE PALO, Italian engineer "Everything you're thinking about technology, you'll find them in the same place. This happens only in Shenzhen. Because China gives all the things that I could not find in the rest of the world. China is really good. My name is Leonardo de Palo. I came from Italy. I'm an engineer and I worked for about 10 years for IBM, then a lot of other companies. I came here with my family in April 2012. I do this small robot. Just to transform this idea into a product. The proposal was very interesting because it doubled my salary. What I found in

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Smart City Expo World Congress held in Barcelona

STORY: Smart City Expo World Congress held in Barcelona SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 8, 9, 2023 DATELINE: Nov. 10, 2023 LENGTH: 0:02:03 LOCATION: BARCELONA, Spain CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of exhibitors and innovative technological solutions at Barcelona's Smart City Expo on Wednesday and Thursday 2. various of access to the Smart City Expo with the slogan "The new urban era" 3. various of exhibitors from various countries, visitors, latest innovations and conferences 4. SOUNDBITE (Spanish): UGO VALENTI, Director of Smart City Expo World Congress 5. various of robots, drones and lighting with AI 7. various of chargers and data monitoring 8. various of exhibiting companies and countries STORYLINE: Under the theme of "The new urban era," the 12th edition of the Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC) was held in Barcelona from Nov. 7 to 9. With over 1,000 exhibitors from 800 cities in about 140 countries and regions, this year's event is the largest in its history, according to the organizers. With inn

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CAMBODIA-PHNOM PENH-ABU ASIA-PACIFIC ROBOT CONTEST

(230827) -- PHNOM PENH, Aug. 27, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Robots from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China throw rings during the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union Asia-Pacific Robot Contest 2023 (ABU Robocon) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Aug. 27, 2023. The ABU Robocon 2023 was held in Cambodia on Sunday, with the participation of 14 university teams from more than 10 countries. (Photo by Sovannara/Xinhua)

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Futuristic life assisted by smart robots | Sunny's Spotlight

STORY: Futuristic life assisted by smart robots | Sunny's Spotlight DATELINE: Aug. 20, 2023 LENGTH: 00:03:40 LOCATION: Beijing CATEGORY: TECHNOLOGY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the WRC 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent 4. various of the WRC 5. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): CHEN FANGJIE, Jitri Intelligent Manufacturing 6. various of the WRC 7. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): LING QINGHUA, Mechanical engineer, China Electronics Technology Group Corporation 8. SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent 9. SOUNDBITE 6 (Chinese): LING QINGHUA, Mechanical engineer, China Electronics Technology Group Corporation 10. various of the WRC 11. SOUNDBITE 7 (Chinese): SHAO YUANXIN, Engineer, Xiaomi Robotics Lab STORYLINE: Welcome to the world of robots, master. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent "Is it a dream? " "Nope. This is a real world of robots." In the field, in tune, in depth. This is Sunny's Spotlight, from the 20

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CHINA-GUANGZHOU-FOSHAN-LIGHTING-INNOVATION (CN)

(230810) -- GUANGZHOU, Aug. 10, 2023 (Xinhua) -- This photo taken on Aug. 9, 2023 shows industry robots working at a production base of Foshan Electrical and Lighting Co., Ltd. in Foshan, south China's Guangdong Province. Foshan Electrical and Lighting Co., Ltd. (FSL) is one of the competitive lighting brands in China, providing full-range professional lighting solutions. The company has been actively engaging in the innovation of science and technology. Its lighting products have been applied to the deep-sea manned submersible, cultivation and aquaculture, and new energy vehicle manufacturing. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)

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CHINA-GUANGZHOU-FOSHAN-LIGHTING-INNOVATION (CN)

(230810) -- GUANGZHOU, Aug. 10, 2023 (Xinhua) -- A staff member operates industry robots at a production base of Foshan Electrical and Lighting Co., Ltd. in Foshan, south China's Guangdong Province, Aug. 9, 2023. Foshan Electrical and Lighting Co., Ltd. (FSL) is one of the competitive lighting brands in China, providing full-range professional lighting solutions. The company has been actively engaging in the innovation of science and technology. Its lighting products have been applied to the deep-sea manned submersible, cultivation and aquaculture, and new energy vehicle manufacturing. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)

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Digital technologies power strawberry planting in E China

STORY: Digital technologies power strawberry planting in E China DATELINE: May 10, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:41 LOCATION: HEFEI, China CATEGORY: AGRICULTURE SHOTLIST: 1. various of the planting base 2. STANDUP 1 (English): ZHAO JINZHENG, Xinhua correspondent 3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): WANG QIUCHEN, Digital demonstration garden operator 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): YAO JUN, Deputy Director of Integrated Innovation Center 5. STANDUP 2 (English): ZHAO JINZHENG, Xinhua correspondent STORYLINE: STANDUP 1 (English): ZHAO JINZHENG, Xinhua correspondent "It is surprising to see all these smart devices like agricultural sensors, automatic robots and intelligent watering and fertilizing system are used for planting strawberries. Today we come to Changfeng County, east China's Anhui Province to explore the digital technologies behind the sweet strawberries." With an annual output of over 350,000 tonnes of strawberries, Changfeng County is one of the largest strawberry production bases in China. Over the recent years, the local

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High school students make cardboard models of "Gundam" robot

OSAKA, Japan - Cardboard likenesses of robots from the popular "Gundam" Japanese animation series, produced by students at Higashiyodo Technical High School in Osaka, are displayed at the entrance hall of an office building in the western Japan city on Oct. 10, 2014, as part of an art event.

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Cardboard models of 'Gundam' character displayed in Osaka

OSAKA, Japan - Cardboard likenesses of robots from the popular "Gundam" Japanese animation series are displayed at the entrance hall of an office building in Osaka as part of an art event on Oct. 10, 2014. The model robots were made by students at Higashiyodo Technical High School in the western Japan city.

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Osaka high-tech exhibition attracts 900,000 visitors

OSAKA, Japan - A girl looks at robots and other high-tech exhibits at Active Lab., an intellectual entertainment space in Knowledge Capital of Grand Front Osaka in Osaka, western Japan, on March 12, 2014. Active Lab. attracted over 900,000 visitors in the 10 months since opening in April 2013, about double the initial annual goal.

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Robots to probe Fukushima nuclear plant

TOKYO, Japan - Photo shows a robot that can move through narrow pipes by changing shape developed by Hitachi Ltd. and Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy Ltd. The companies announced during a press conference in Tokyo on March 10, 2014, that they have developed robots to detect cooling water leakage points and the condition of nuclear fuel at the disaster-struck Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

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Robots to probe Fukushima nuclear plant

TOKYO, Japan - Photo shows a robot that can move through radioactive water to perform research related to the removal of melted nuclear fuel developed by Hitachi Ltd. and Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy Ltd. The companies announced during a press conference in Tokyo on March 10, 2014, that they have developed robots to detect cooling water leakage points and the condition of nuclear fuel at the disaster-struck Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

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Hospital uses robots to assist with orthopedic surgery in NE China

STORY: Hospital uses robots to assist with orthopedic surgery in NE China DATELINE: Dec. 17, 2022 LENGTH: 00:00:45 LOCATION: DALIAN, China CATEGORY: HEALTH/TECHNOLOGY SHOTLIST: 1. various of a hospital 2. various of doctors conducting a surgery 3. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): QI ZHIMING, Chief of the Second People's Hospital of Dalian STORYLINE: Some Chinese hospitals are making use of domestically-developed surgical robots to help with orthopedic surgeries. In Dalian, robots have been applied in such operations at the Second People's Hospital since 2020. Doctors say that the robots have helped improve accuracy of the surgeries. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): QI ZHIMING, Chief of the Second People's Hospital of Dalian "With the assistance of surgical robots, we have conducted more than 50 spine surgeries, 40 knee surgeries and some 10 hip surgeries. I firmly believe that through our joint efforts, surgical robots can be applied to more surgeries in the future and be of benefit to them." Xinhua News Agency correspondent

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One smartphone made every 10 seconds at smart factory in China's Dongguan

STORY: One smartphone made every 10 seconds at smart factory in China's Dongguan DATELINE: Dec. 16, 2022 LENGTH: 0:00:31 LOCATION: DONGGUAN, China CATEGORY: TECHNOLOGY SHOTLIST: 1. various of assembling smartphones STORYLINE: At this smart factory of OPPO in China's Dongguan, more than 1,500 robots are working. One smartphone can be produced in 10 seconds on the average. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Dongguan, China. (XHTV)

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Endoscope operation robot with disposable arm developed

OSAKA, Japan - Atsushi Nishikawa, an associate professor at Osaka University, holding a robotic device with disposable arms for use in endoscope operations. Developed by a research team led by Nishikawa, the disposable arms will cost less than 30,000 yen each, while the main parts will be priced at about 3 million yen each, compared with existing robots that cost more than 10 million yen each, Nishikawa says.

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A future living room: robots serving tea

TOKYO, Japan - A robot serves tea while a second (in the background) handles household chores in a ''future living room'' demonstration held at the University of Tokyo on Jan. 10. The robots, developed by University of Tokyo researchers, can respond to human voice commands and hand signals and perform a variety of household chores, apart from pouring tea and washing cups, researchers say.

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Matsushita system lets multiple robots carry blood samples

OSAKA, Japan - Matsushita Electric Works Ltd. has developed a system in which a group of up to 10 robots work together to transport blood samples at a lab for clinical trials. The system has a number of robots operate in conjunction with one another and 10 robots can handle some 9,000 samples per hour.

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Robot museum to open in Nagoya

NAGOYA, Japan - The Robot Museum in Nagoya opened for a press preview on Oct. 10 ahead of its opening to the public on Oct. 12. Visitors will be able to play with more than a dozen different kinds of robots.

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Toyota unveils pavilion for Aichi Expo

NAGOYA, Japan - An opening ceremony for Toyota Motor Corp.'s pavilion at the World Exposition in Aichi Prefecture is held in front of the pavilion on March 10. Toyota's pavilion will feature eight performing humanoid robots, which can play musical instruments, including the drums, trumpet and tuba, and also fill in as disc jockeys. The exposition will begin on March 25.

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(CIIE) CHINA-SHANGHAI-CIIE-EXHIBITION (CN)

(221105) -- SHANGHAI, Nov. 5, 2022 (Xinhua) -- People watch a performance by robots at the Artificial Intelligence Special Exhibition Zone of the fifth China International Import Expo (CIIE) at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) in east China's Shanghai, Nov. 5, 2022. The fifth CIIE is scheduled on Nov. 5-10 in China's economic hub Shanghai. (Xinhua/Jin Haoyuan)

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(CIIE) CHINA-SHANGHAI-CIIE-EXHIBITION (CN)

(221105) -- SHANGHAI, Nov. 5, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Visitors watch robots performing at the Artificial Intelligence Special Exhibition Zone of the fifth China International Import Expo (CIIE) at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) in east China's Shanghai, Nov. 5, 2022. The fifth CIIE is scheduled on Nov. 5-10 in China's economic hub Shanghai. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

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Chinese scientists develop trajectory planning system for collision-free flight of drone swarms

STORY: Chinese scientists develop trajectory planning system for collision-free flight of drone swarms DATELINE: May 6, 2022 LENGTH: 00:00:46 LOCATION: HANGZHOU, China CATEGORY: TECHNOLOGY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the smart drones flying STORYLINE: Chinese scientists have developed a new flight path planning system that can help miniature, fully autonomous drone swarms fly smartly through crowded forests, without collisions. The planning system enabled 10 aerial robots to collectively maneuver unhindered through a cluttered bamboo forest and find the most efficient flight path, according to the study published Thursday in the journal Science Robotics. Inspired by how flocks of birds can flexibly coordinate their collective flight paths, the researchers from Zhejiang University designed a trajectory planning method that processes data from onboard sensors and incorporates collision avoidance, flight efficiency, and swarm coordination to optimize swarm flying within a few milliseconds. The fleet o

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BELGIUM-SINT-NIKLAAS-RESTAURANT-ROBOT

(220410) -- SINT-NIKLAAS, April 10, 2022 (Xinhua) -- A waiter gives instructions to a robot before serving dishes at a restaurant in Sint-Niklaas, East Flanders, Belgium, April 9, 2022. Two service robots, designed and manufactured in China, became the "stars" of a restaurant in Sint-Niklaas in Belgium. They not only reduced the cost for the restaurant, but also won popularity among the customers. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

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BELGIUM-SINT-NIKLAAS-RESTAURANT-ROBOT

(220410) -- SINT-NIKLAAS, April 10, 2022 (Xinhua) -- A robot serves dishes at a restaurant in Sint-Niklaas, East Flanders, Belgium, April 9, 2022. Two service robots, designed and manufactured in China, became the "stars" of a restaurant in Sint-Niklaas in Belgium. They not only reduced the cost for the restaurant, but also won popularity among the customers. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

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BELGIUM-SINT-NIKLAAS-RESTAURANT-ROBOT

(220410) -- SINT-NIKLAAS, April 10, 2022 (Xinhua) -- A robot serves dishes at a restaurant in Sint-Niklaas, East Flanders, Belgium, April 9, 2022. Two service robots, designed and manufactured in China, became the "stars" of a restaurant in Sint-Niklaas in Belgium. They not only reduced the cost for the restaurant, but also won popularity among the customers. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

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BELGIUM-SINT-NIKLAAS-RESTAURANT-ROBOT

(220410) -- SINT-NIKLAAS, April 10, 2022 (Xinhua) -- A robot serves dishes at a restaurant in Sint-Niklaas, East Flanders, Belgium, April 9, 2022. Two service robots, designed and manufactured in China, became the "stars" of a restaurant in Sint-Niklaas in Belgium. They not only reduced the cost for the restaurant, but also won popularity among the customers. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

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BELGIUM-SINT-NIKLAAS-RESTAURANT-ROBOT

(220410) -- SINT-NIKLAAS, April 10, 2022 (Xinhua) -- A customer takes the dishes served by a robot at a restaurant in Sint-Niklaas, East Flanders, Belgium, April 9, 2022. Two service robots, designed and manufactured in China, became the "stars" of a restaurant in Sint-Niklaas in Belgium. They not only reduced the cost for the restaurant, but also won popularity among the customers. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

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BELGIUM-SINT-NIKLAAS-RESTAURANT-ROBOT

(220410) -- SINT-NIKLAAS, April 10, 2022 (Xinhua) -- A robot serves dishes at a restaurant in Sint-Niklaas, East Flanders, Belgium, April 9, 2022. Two service robots, designed and manufactured in China, became the "stars" of a restaurant in Sint-Niklaas in Belgium. They not only reduced the cost for the restaurant, but also won popularity among the customers. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

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BELGIUM-SINT-NIKLAAS-RESTAURANT-ROBOT

(220410) -- SINT-NIKLAAS, April 10, 2022 (Xinhua) -- A robot waits for orders at a restaurant in Sint-Niklaas, East Flanders, Belgium, April 9, 2022. Two service robots, designed and manufactured in China, became the "stars" of a restaurant in Sint-Niklaas in Belgium. They not only reduced the cost for the restaurant, but also won popularity among the customers. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

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BELGIUM-SINT-NIKLAAS-RESTAURANT-ROBOT

(220410) -- SINT-NIKLAAS, April 10, 2022 (Xinhua) -- A robot serves dishes at a restaurant in Sint-Niklaas, East Flanders, Belgium, April 9, 2022. Two service robots, designed and manufactured in China, became the "stars" of a restaurant in Sint-Niklaas in Belgium. They not only reduced the cost for the restaurant, but also won popularity among the customers. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

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BELGIUM-SINT-NIKLAAS-RESTAURANT-ROBOT

(220410) -- SINT-NIKLAAS, April 10, 2022 (Xinhua) -- A customer takes the dishes served by a robot at a restaurant in Sint-Niklaas, East Flanders, Belgium, April 9, 2022. Two service robots, designed and manufactured in China, became the "stars" of a restaurant in Sint-Niklaas in Belgium. They not only reduced the cost for the restaurant, but also won popularity among the customers. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

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A robotic hand developed by OMRON and the University of Tokyo that repeatedly performs precise insertion

Professor Masatoshi Ishikawa of the University of Tokyo and Omron have developed a robot hand that can perform precision work by groping at a speed of 1,000 times per second. When the ring hits the end of the cylinder and the angle shifts, the robot adjusts its three fingers to restore the shift. This is a high-speed reproduction of the way a human being searches for the right angle to fit a ring using the senses of his or her fingertips. In the past, even with the use of force sensors, it took time to process, and insertion and removal took 1-2 seconds. In the automation of precision assembly, it is difficult to keep the positional accuracy within 10 micrometers, including robots and jigs. If this can be handled by hand or control, the range of precision work will expand. Photo taken on November 27, 2019, credit: Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun / Kyodo News Images

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Hokuriku Electric Power's "Assist Arm" robot for power distribution work

Hokuriku Electric Power Company has completed the development of the "Assist Arm" (photo), a robot for power distribution work, and has begun deploying it. The robot will assist in the construction work, which used to be done by two people in a high-altitude work truck, enabling the work to be done by one person. This is the first time such a robot has been used in Japan. The company plans to adopt 10 more robots, including those of group companies, by the end of fiscal year 2019. The robots will be used for the most frequent part of the power distribution work, the wire separator work. In the past, high-voltage wires were cut and the cut wires were connected to each other with a temporary equipment called a wire separator by lifting a stick-shaped tool weighing about 10 kilograms. The robot will be able to cut wires and grab objects with an arm that can move in six axes with a single control grip, saving labor. Photo taken on November 20, 2019, credit: Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun / Kyodo News Images

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Okinawa Industry Association's Experience Event for Children

Can you beat a robot? The Okinawa Industrial Association (Naha City, Okinawa, 098-859-6191, Chairman Noboru Kohatsu, Chairman of Takunan Iron & Steel) promoted industrial robots through a hands-on event for children. In this game, children faced a cooperative twin-armed robot and arranged 10 pieces in a row. The game started with a nod from the robot's "head," and the children competed for speed with all their might. There have been few cases of robots being introduced in Okinawa, so the youth division of the association held this event at the "Okinawa Industry Festival" exhibition with the aim of promoting the spread of robots and understanding of manufacturing. Kasai Elec (Oguchi-cho, Aichi Prefecture), a system integration company, cooperated in the event. Photo taken on October 26, 2019, credit: Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun / Kyodo News Images

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Sekisui House's "Smart Inspection" inspection system

On August 16, Sekisui House developed "Smart Inspection," a home inspection system that utilizes flying robots (drones), under-floor inspection robots, and multi-robot cameras in the shed, and demonstrated it to the press (photo). The system, which will be launched on August 1 at 29 customer centers across the country, uses drones and other equipment to take detailed images during regular inspections, and skilled experts to immediately determine problems via the cloud. It is said to be the first inspection system in the housing industry that uses advanced equipment for remote diagnosis. The customer's room will not be dirty or scratched. All 10 items to be inspected will be captured in high-definition images and judged by skilled experts through the cloud. Regardless of the skills of the inspector, the system provides high-quality after-sales service. Image taken on July 16, 2019, location unknown, credit: Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun / Kyodo News Images

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Robot museum to open in Nagoya

NAGOYA, Japan - The Robot Museum in Nagoya opened for a press preview on Oct. 10 ahead of its opening to the public on Oct. 12. Visitors will be able to play with more than a dozen different kinds of robots. (Kyodo)

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A future living room: robots serving tea

TOKYO, Japan - A robot serves tea while a second (in the background) handles household chores in a ''future living room'' demonstration held at the University of Tokyo on Jan. 10. The robots, developed by University of Tokyo researchers, can respond to human voice commands and hand signals and perform a variety of household chores, apart from pouring tea and washing cups, researchers say. (Kyodo)

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Endoscope operation robot with disposable arm developed

OSAKA, Japan - Atsushi Nishikawa, an associate professor at Osaka University, holding a robotic device with disposable arms for use in endoscope operations. Developed by a research team led by Nishikawa, the disposable arms will cost less than 30,000 yen each, while the main parts will be priced at about 3 million yen each, compared with existing robots that cost more than 10 million yen each, Nishikawa says. (Kyodo)

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Toyota unveils pavilion for Aichi Expo

NAGOYA, Japan - An opening ceremony for Toyota Motor Corp.'s pavilion at the World Exposition in Aichi Prefecture is held in front of the pavilion on March 10. Toyota's pavilion will feature eight performing humanoid robots, which can play musical instruments, including the drums, trumpet and tuba, and also fill in as disc jockeys. The exposition will begin on March 25. (Kyodo)

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Matsushita system lets multiple robots carry blood samples

OSAKA, Japan - Matsushita Electric Works Ltd. has developed a system in which a group of up to 10 robots work together to transport blood samples at a lab for clinical trials. The system has a number of robots operate in conjunction with one another and 10 robots can handle some 9,000 samples per hour. (Kyodo)