An introduction to Japanese R&D activity and political direction on special environment robots

Japan has involved several social problems, e.g., large scale disasters and aging of infrastructures, and the robots working in a related special environment have been expected for the countermeasures. In order to accelerate the utilization of the robots, we need not only the development of technology but also the enforcement of comprehensive social system. In this aim, New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), had launched “Research Project on Standardization, Safety Standards and Consolidation of Competitiveness of Special Environment Robots(SERs) and Systems” in FY2012. The final report of the research published on March 2013, which contains the three parts as: 1) clarification of political positioning of SERs, 2) clarification of mid-long term issues that Japan should pursue, and 3) strategic planning of standardization, safety standards and the competitiveness. In this paper, a summary of the first part of the report is described, which includes 1)R&D and in-Practice Activity, 2)political positioning, 3)operational framework for further practical use of SERs.