Science View

Robots In Our Everyday Lives - The Future (2x12)

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J-Innovators: Long-lasting Artificial Knee Joints It is said that more than 10 million elderly people in Japan suffer from knee ailments. Artificial knee joints offer a solution that puts them back on their feet. But until now, artificial joints have had a major drawback. After implantation, the polyethylene "cartilage" in the joints deteriorates as a result of oxidation, and repeated friction. In collaboration with a university, this week's innovator has developed a way to prevent oxidation using a well-known nutrient. Can you guess what it is? The innovator also found a way to reduce friction. We find out what the development of better artificial joints means to him, and investigate the radical techniques he employed that are now helping so many. Science News Watch: A Childhood Learning Support Robot Science Watcher Koichi Kitazawa takes up news of a robot designed to help children with their studies. In a performance trial at an elementary school in Kyoto, a robot assisted in science classes through a whole year. The adorable robot was developed by a group centered around the Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International. It has two eyes, a rather comical visage, can recognize the faces of over 100 children and address them by names. What were classes with this clever robot like? See for yourself in the program! Fun with robots could be a great motivator for kids at all levels. The Leading Edge: Robots in Our Everyday Lives - The Future Robots as trusty servants and witty conversation partners? It sounds like science fiction, but the fantasy is already a reality. Until now, robots have been used most actively in factories and the like. They were considered incapable of the ad hoc responses required for everyday interaction with people. But technological advances have now made it possible for robots to react more flexibly to circumstances, and their usage is expanding accordingly. We explore the technology making all this possibl