Hello! I’m Mizutani from the Sports Division, 3rd Bureau, Public Relations Business Headquarters 🤖
Suddenly, what comes to mind when you hear the word “robot”?

Is it “him” who flies through the sky with jet engines and has 100,000 horsepower? Or is it the cat-shaped “him” who loves Japanese sweets?
(My earliest memory related to “robots” was the phantom AIBO that never came to our home)

As summer vacation drew to a close, I invited my colleagues from the SUNNY DAYS editorial team, who were feeling a bit melancholic.
Could I, a liberal arts graduate whose physics knowledge stopped at high school basics, understand cutting-edge technology!?
I’d like to report on the experience today ✊

What Is the Miraikan (National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation)?

The Miraikan, which opened in 2001 and entered its 21st year this year, has adopted a new vision: “A platform for creating the ‘future’ together with you.”At the “Miraikan for 2030 Plan Announcement” held in July, the slogan “Mirai can_! (Miraikan) The future is something to be realized” was announced as the future activity policy toward achieving this vision.Expectations are high for this special exhibition held by a museum that encourages us to envision the future.

What Is the Special Exhibition “You and Robots: What Is a Human?”?

The largest-scale exhibition in domestic exhibition history, featuring approximately 90 types and 130 diverse robots gathered together. This special exhibition allows visitors to experience not only robot and video displays but also interactive installations.Through robots that continue to evolve and develop daily, the exhibition explores the future relationship between humans and robots and asks the question “What is a human?”Opening hours were extended until 7:00 PM on Saturdays in August and during the Obon period, making it perfect for summer vacation research projects.

The exhibition runs until August 31 🤖 We made it just in time!

Inside the pleasant glass-enclosed building, we also saw students who appeared to be on a school field trip ✏

Zone 1: What Is a Robot?The Birth of Robots and Their Journey to the Present

I have a feeling the “aha moments” won’t stop…

The first thing that appeared after passing through the gate was robots surrounded by showcases! I was immediately overwhelmed by the full-on “near-future” atmosphere.

Rumble rumble rumble…!

On the wall was a large timeline tracing the history of robots. The word “robot” was apparently born over 100 years ago. You can feel the weight of history.

Robots from 1997, the year we were born, were also there. Hard to believe they’re the same age 🤖

An emotional reunion with AIBO, a bittersweet memory…! Finally got to meet you…!

🐶 Woof!

#YouAndRobots Exhibition Instagram is available here

We also chatted with Pepper, who has become quite familiar to us now.

Zone 2: What Are You? What Is a Human?

Zone 2-1: What Is a Body?

After saying goodbye to Pepper and moving forward, we entered the next area. The exhibition focused on the body, highlighting the functions of robots that are often modeled after human and animal physical capabilities.This is a mirror robot that mimics your movements—it was fun to dance together.

When you’re so busy you could use an extra hand, if you had two more hands, would you be able to do twice as much work…?

I thought it was the culprit from Detective Conan…

The use and evolution of electrically powered prosthetic hands and assistive robots in medical and sports fields is also remarkable.

This is a robot whose ears move when sensors detect brain waves. It’s cute, like a headband…!

After concentrating my thoughts directly to my brain for several seconds, it finally moved!!

If humans had moving ears like dogs, just imagining what changes would occur in communication is exciting.

What exactly is a human? ☆

Zone 2-2: What Is a Heart?

The next area focused on the human “heart” that fluctuates with various emotions. Cute robots that made you want to touch them were waiting.

Astro Boy suddenly breaks into rap 🎤

Fluffy robots that make you want to pet them,

I want to take care of them~~~~!!

I want to nurture them~~~!!

And friends of Tamako, the LOVOT that’s always in our office…!

Tamako’s friends~~~~!!

This is one of the “weak robots” that makes you want to help. Shaped like a trash can, when you see it wiggling near a ball as if it wants you to pick it up, you can’t help but interact with it.

They keep talking to each other in some mysterious language and it’s so cute~~~!!

This is a palm-sized, featureless robot developed with the purpose of becoming friends with people. It deliberately doesn’t speak words and only responds with “Dorara~” when you talk to it, but you can still communicate with it.

Could this be the future Doraemon…!?

It’s refreshing to see not only near-perfect robots that can do things humans cannot, but also an increase in lovable robots with deliberate weaknesses.

Zone 2-3: What Is Life?

As robots and technology evolve, new changes and various challenges are emerging in the nature of human “life.”With the evolution of AI and VR technology, the day may come when digital clones and resurrection are not impossible.

The two faces merge together ☁

The exhibition raises questions about the ethics and societal structures we must consider precisely because we live in an era of continuous technological advancement.

The famous Natsume Soseki sits enshrined

The “D.E.A.D. (Digital Employment After Death)” exhibition, which addresses attempts to digitize and utilize a person’s personality and abilities after death, provided an opportunity for deep thought and discussion.

Are you YES? NO?

Zone 3: What Is the Future of You and Robots?

As a summary of the exhibitions we’ve seen so far, there are installations where you can experience various scenes of a future where humans and robots coexist.We let our imaginations run wild about the exciting future, building expectations for the future of humans and robots that each of us envisions.

Interactive Installation Exhibits

How was it?We made many discoveries by learning about the past and future of robots we had never encountered before, as well as robots already familiar to us.

I was also made to think that the development of future robots will require not only specialized knowledge and technological advancement, but also our understanding and opinions.Robots will undoubtedly become increasingly indispensable in human society and social interactions going forward.

That’s what a high school girl was saying at Starbucks~🤖

Editor’s Note

After seeing AIBO, which was making headlines as a pet robot at the time, on TV, I tearfully tried to persuade my mother, who dislikes animals, saying “This one won’t bite and hurt you, and you won’t have to worry about cleaning up fur!” But despite my efforts, AIBO never came to our home…Looking back now, what a realistic and uncharming child I was from that time… It’s a somewhat sad memory. (wry smile)

These days, there are robots of all shapes and characteristics.I suddenly realized anew that many robots are active in very familiar parts of our lives—cleaning every corner of the room before we know it, or suddenly activating during conversations with friends and speaking to us from our smartphones.Thinking about this made me want to learn more about robots.

When I looked into it, I discovered that the special exhibition “You and Robots: What Is a Human?” has been running since spring at the Miraikan, where SUNNY SIDE UP handles PR.It became a day that rewrote the bitter memories of my childhood!

Why not visit the Miraikan for your summer vacation research project or to create summer memories,and envision a wonderful future for robots and humans?

Special Exhibition“You and Robots: What Is a Human?” Official Website

Period:March 18 (Fri) – August 31 (Wed), 2022
Venue:Miraikan 1F Special Exhibition Zone
Hours:10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Entry until 30 minutes before closing)
However, during “Robot☆Summer Night” on Saturdays in August (6th, 13th, 20th, 27th) and the Obon period (August 11–16), open until 7:00 PM (last entry 6:30 PM) *During Summer Night period, permanent exhibitions, restaurant, and Miraikan Shop operate until 5:00 PM as usual. Special exhibition shop operates until 7:00 PM
Closed:Tuesdays (however, open March 22–April 5, May 3, July 26–August 30)