—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?
During the first year of my master’s degree program, I took a lecture course entitled “Perspectives in Platform Studies.” Thanks to that opportunity, I discovered how platforms are being created in various different fields. Robot applications continue to expand. Beyond mere information communications, they also excel in disaster prevention, agriculture, medicine, and various other areas. The lecture course has kindled my desire to explore the potential for deeper interaction between robots and human beings in such fields.
—What research themes are you currently working on?
Briefly stated, this sphere may be described as “human-robot interaction”; more specifically, the research genre of probing the ties between people and robots. Such robots come in various shapes and forms—from spherical robots capable of speech, to android types resembling human beings. The target of my research is a class of robots with an appearance roughly between these two categories, like the Pepper humanoid robot. Operated by human workers, they are also able to perform tasks remotely. When working with robots, many people enjoy the conversations that take place, although there are also instances of robots being abused by children or others who refuse to follow instructions. I am researching means of addressing such situations with the use of humor.
—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?
It has provided a valuable reference in learning about what types of efforts are currently underway and the resulting accomplishments. More so than learning about systems and applications in the information field, the single greatest benefit for me has been the opportunity to become acquainted with actual cases, such as the means of simulation being applied in disaster prevention and the approaches adopted in the medical field. At a special event as part of the Seminar Series on Perspectives in Platform Studies, meanwhile, I learned a great deal from the talk by Yukihiro Matsumoto, creator of the Ruby programming language, especially with regard to starting up a business and comparisons of markets overseas and in Japan.
—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?
Insofar as my specialty lies in robots, I am endeavoring to build a platform capable of empowering robots to exert an impact in various different capacities. Potential examples include disaster prevention, medicine, customer service, and other areas, while integrating and harnessing those various undertakings and their fruits. Smartphones encompass a wide range of apps, with the ability to choose them to meet the specific purposes involved. In much the same way, while robots are close to that definition in terms of the hardware, I am envisioning systems in which the methods of use and roles may be assigned to fit the specific conditions at hand. This will consist of verification in the field and subsequent reflection at the specific locations. One specific example of this format lies in humor. There may very well be differences in the humor directed toward patients at hospitals, and that used for children at amusement parks. For instance, in dealing with people who cut into a waiting line, rather than warning them, I am looking into how to have robots provide humorous responses that would normally be voiced by human workers. That will involve gathering data on what has proved effective in specific situations, and putting that assembled intelligence to work in an efficient manner. This, simply stated, is the type of system that I have in mind.
—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?
First, adopt an open approach to the research. After that, it will be critical to gain an understanding of how the fruits of realizing those merits can change society. Various types of data are essential for platforms. While persons using robots may initially feel hesitant at mention of collecting personal information, I believe that we can win over their acceptance through understanding of the fruits to be gained: how shopping will become more convenient, the ability to engage in enjoyable conservations with robots, and other examples of how robots can be utilized in effective means. Toward that end, it will be vital to clarify the stance being adopted toward information, thereby also rendering it easier to enlist cooperation in the research.
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