Robot Week 2018
We found out about Robot Week after booking our trip, and at around $10 to attend, it was a no-brainer so we made the trek out to Tokyo Big Sight.
There were lots of robot kits and parts but they were not cheap by any means.
A few humanoid robots were there, but mostly for show, along with the often-promoted ping-pong playing armature.
There were some smaller scale robots and vision systems, mostly for sorting and packaging.
Specialized parts manufacturers were there too, with a variety of hands and other accessories.
It was great to see some accessibility oriented products like exosuits for lifting, or products geared toward gait assistance.
Surprisingly, there were quite a few toys in addition to some weird jokey robots.
We had seen the Pepper robot at the airport already, so it was nice to see some other serving and concierge focused models here.
The highlight of the show was definitely getting to try out a telepresence robot. Putting on a VR headset gives you access to the robot’s camera view and I was handed a rake to manicure a small Japanese garden setup they had using my robot hands.
The last thing we saw before leaving was Qoobo, the snuggly robot companion that wags its tail when you pet it.
We also took time to have a lunch break. McDonald’s had a new Ebi Filet-o sandwich which is like a McChicken, but made with shrimp, and sweet potato milkshakes, which were both good. I also had some Qoo to drink since I can’t resist it.