IEEE ICMA 2021 Conference
Keynote Speech

Intelligent Robots and Moon Shot Program

Toshio Fukuda, Ph.D.
Professor
Meijo University, Japan
1 Chome-501 Shiogamaguchi, Tempaku Ward, Nagoya, Japan
Postcode: 486-8502, Japan
E-mail: fukuda@mein.nagoya-u.ac.jp
http://www.mein.nagoya-u.ac.jp

Abstract:
Recent robot technology (RT) has made remarkable progress in both manufacturing and service sectors. Because of this RT advanced technology, there are growing demands to make robots work more friendly and flexible coordinated with human for service. There are many researches and developing works undergoing for robot and human interaction, such as assistance and supports of human by robots in manufacturing, inspection and maintenance, entertainment, education, bio-medical applications, rehabilitation and techno-care of aged people. Robot is required to have the more flexibility and adaptation control to human behavior, more friendly robot and human interface, and estimation capability of human intention some way to make more proactive motion. There are a lot of problems to solve them with robotic sensor, actuator, control, communication and interface with human.

This talk is an overview of the Multi-scale robotics, based on the Cellular Robotics System, which is the basic concept of the emergence of intelligence, coevolution and self-organization in the multi-scale way from Organizational Level, Distributed Robotics to Biological Cell Engineering and Nanorobotics, which was proposed more than three decades ago. It consists of many elements how the system can be structured from the individual to the group/society levels in analogy with the biological system. It covers with the wide range of challenging topics, but intelligent robotics is focused on this talk.

In particular, focusing on the coevolution and self-organization capabilities, I will show a new initiative on AI and Robot, one of the Moon-Shot Programs started by Japanese Government, since 2020. Based on the Society 5.0, it is a new and challenging program aiming at the AI robotic system in 2050. I will introduce some of the projects in this program for realization of the Society 5.0 by back-casting technologies from the 2050 to the current ones .

Prof. Toshio Fukuda

(M'83-SM'93-F'95) graduated from Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan in 1971 and received the Master of Engineering degree and the Doctor of Engineering degree both from the University of Tokyo, in 1973 and 1977, respectively. He is Professor Emeritus of Nagoya University and Professor of Meijo University and Waseda University. He is mainly engaging in the research fields of intelligent robotic system, micro and nano robotics, bio-robotic system and industry applications in robotics and automation.

He was the President of IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (1998-1999), and IEEE President (2020). He was Editor-in-Chief of IEEE/ASME Trans. Mechatronics (2000-2002). He was chairs of many conferences, such as the Founding General Chair of IEEE International Confere on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS, 1988), IEEE Conference on Cyborg and Bionic Systems (CBS, 2017), IEEE Conference on Intelligence and Safety of Robots (ISR, 2018). He has received many awards such as IEEE Robotics and Automation Pioneer Award (2004), Technical Field Award (2010). IEEE Fellow (1995). SICE Fellow (1995). JSME Fellow (2002), RSJ Fellow (2004), VRSJ Fellow (2011).