Robots galore at CEATEC Japan 2017

Robots are a big theme at this year’s CEATEC Japan – here are some of the unique ones we found on the show floor.

CEATEC Japan is a big electronics show that happens each year just outside Tokyo. This year, there is a heavy emphasis on the Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence.

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There are robots everywhere – big and small! Many are meant to assist humans in various tasks including everyday life and manufacturing. There are also lots of robots that are helping the aging population.

Here are some of the cool robots we spotted:

Qoobo Therapy Robot
Imagine the fun of a cat, but without the messy cleanup. Qoobo stole the show at CEATEC. It’s a fluffy pillow like robot that wags its tail when you pet it. The company says it is a therapy robot – and I have to agree, it was very calming to play with.

SHARP Small sized Home Assistant (HA) robot
Think Alexa or Google – but with a design that emphasizes personality. This robot can control home appliances and help you figure out what to cook for dinner.

Omron FORPHEUS Ping Pong Playing Robot
Every year this robot gets a bit better at playing tabletop tennis. It has two separate arms and can now serve the ball. It uses Artifical Intelligence to predict the type of return the human competitor will make and gets into position to return it.

Panasonic COCOTTO Robot
This is a friendly looking robot that has a design like a bowling ball. It can roll around and play with your kids. It can talk to them, conduct activities and even urge them to brush their teeth and go to bed.

Avatar Robot
Remember the movie Avatar? This is a robot you control remotely. Put your hands inside special gloves and look into a virtual reality headset. You can see what the robot sees and when you move your hands the robot moves his hands. Tokyo’s Keio University is pioneering the technology, which they say can help people work in various jobs right from home.