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A Tokyo‐based construction company, Fujita Corporation, has developed the unmanned “Tele‐Earthwork System”. It features a remotely controlled robot which manipulates conventional construction machines (such as backhoes and bulldozers) in the same way as a human operator. The robot can be easily disassembled into several sub assemblies (usually stored as disassembled parts in individual packages) for easy transportation. Following shipment to a work site the robot can be re‐assembled in the cockpit of the backhoe/bulldozer, and made operational within a couple of hours. The developer believes that this hybrid human/robot approach will be very important in the future, both for emergency situations where human access is hazardous, and for the automatization of construction machinery in general.

Since the advent of Honda’s ASIMO and Sony’s AIBO, robot fever has broken out in the general public of Japan. However no significant business has yet materialized, except in the pet robot business in the toy industry. On the other hand serious basic research for humanoid robots is going on which may have an impact on the future of robotics. This report describes the current status of Japanese humanoid fever and its reality.

This paper seeks to report on the Robot Award of Japan and to review the award winners of 2010.

The paper is based on findings at the exhibition, published papers and in‐depth interviews with award winners.

The Ministry of Economics, Trade and Industry of Japanese Government is trying to create a new robotic business and the industry and academia is responding to it.

The paper reviews the direction of Japan's robot business.

The paper focuses on commercial success and potentials rather than academic value or intriguing technology.

During the past couple of years advances in technology have dramatically improved servomotor torque performance, and reduced their size and weight to one third compared to previous servomotors. This article describes the background, explores new opportunities in machine design and highlights new applications using advanced motion control to make the most of this technology.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a report of the world first robotized cellular production system developed by IDEC Corporation.

The work is based on an interview with the development team of IDEC Corporation.

The paper finds that the IDEC system is a success that paved a way to the future automated cellular production system that enables high‐mix, low‐volume production.

The paper provides an up‐to‐date insight into how to automate high‐mix low‐volume production.

The paper elaborates how a robotized cellular production system is realized.

The purpose of this paper is to review the International Robot Exhibition in Tokyo, Japan 2009, with emphasis on new trend of Japanese robot industry.

This paper is based on in‐depth interviews with exhibitors and the reporter's insight in Japanese robot industry.

A big change is observed in the direction of the Japanese industrial robotics in an attempt to overcome the economic crisis.

New markets, new applications, new robot types, and new robot‐based production systems will be emerging.

This is the first report describing the “change” in the Japanese robot industry after the breakout of the world economy recession.

Describes the history, current activities and ongoing projects of the IMS. Intelligent Manufacturing Systems is an international collaboration programme for research and development of new manufacturing models for the next generation.

This paper aims to report the collaboration between Microsoft and Tmsuk and describe the possible impact on the development of robotics software and the robot industry for the future.

The paper gives an insight into the collaboration, based on an interview with the CEO of Tmsuk.

Microsoft will be one step ahead in the robotic software standardization race. Tmsuk will evaluate the performance in the real world applications.

Tmsuk will evaluate Microsoft's Robotic Studio for its “practical” robotic applications and feed its findings back to Microsoft. The outcome is worth watching.

Microsoft Robotic Studio is the first robotic software development kit and Tmsuk is trying to prove it by its real world expertise. This is the first attempt to apply Micro Robotics Studio to practical applications in the real world.

The purpose of this paper is to describe the fundamental concept of Honda's robotized friction stir welding (FSW) technology, its implementation to mass produced vehicles and the future impact on the automobile industry.

Based on an interview with engineers who developed the new technology at Honda Automobile R&D Center, the report describes the secret of the new technology.

The robotized FSW technology is the world's first to weld dissimilar metals for mass produced vehicles, and makes it possible to use standard industrial robots in FSW process.

The report is the first one outside Japan that details the new technology.

Aims to report on a new trend of research and development in the wireless capsule endoscope.

Presents a conceptual design of a wireless capsule endoscope having new features like navigation control, self‐propulsion, higher rate image transmission, acquisition of samples, application of medications and so forth.

The basic principle has been verified by experiments. Seems promising.

Yet to need a lot of effort for commercialization.

If successful, it will provide another way of least invasive medical treatment that must reduce pain of patients drastically.

Taking advantage of the state‐of‐the‐art micro‐technology it suggests a further step beyond the current wireless capsule endoscope.