Robotics research exploits opportunities for growth

Japan, Korea, and the US are making promising new strides in robotics research. Japan\´s industrial giants have developed robots that monitor hospital patients, warn against intruders, and serve as companions for the elderly. Following the ancient Chinese phrase, "crisis equals opportunity," they\´re predicting that rising health care costs, labor shortages, and the aging population will create an enormous market for robots. Korea is also well-situated for growth in the robotics market. Perhaps in an attempt to leapfrog Japan, it has developed a wireless robot platform that brings thin-client concepts to the world of robots. The US, looking to capitalize on the growing use of sensor networks, hopes to use robots to monitor a wide range of sensors. Projects in all three countries include plans to deploy robots as "companions" that unobtrusively perform a range of services.