Un spectacle de lumières.

0:02

Une vitrine de ce que l'homme peut réaliser au-delà des limites de son corps.

0:07

Un système qui peut remodeler le potentiel humain.

0:11

La relation du Japon avec la robotique est unique.

0:15

Le Japon est le premier fabricant mondial de robots industriels.

0:18

Mais ce n'est pas tout

0:19

le rêve d'un avenir robotique semble ici bien réel.

0:23

L'anime.

0:24

Manga.

0:24

Construction.

0:25

Fabrication.

0:27

L'hôtellerie et la restauration.

0:28

Tout ce que vous voulez.

0:31

Peu importe où vous allez au Japon, il y a de fortes chances pour que vous puissiez vous y retrouver,

0:34

vous trouverez un robot créé par un industriel soucieux de l'avenir,

0:38

et adopté par le public.

0:45

Ces machines sont synonymes de grandes affaires pour le Japon,

0:45

Ces machines sont synonymes de grandes affaires pour le Japon,

0:48

le pays produisant et concevant davantage de robots industriels

0:52

plus de robots industriels que n'importe où ailleurs dans le monde.

0:57

Je m'appelle Haslinda Amin.

0:59

Et voici Momentum.

1:11

Bienvenue à l'hôtel Henn na.

1:15

La domination du Japon dans le domaine de la robotique n'est pas un hasard.

1:20

Ce pays de 123 millions d'habitants a commencé à développer

1:24

des robots industriels dans les années 1960

1:27

et est devenu un leader de la production robotique dans les années 1980.

1:32

La relation unique qu'entretient le Japon avec la robotique est façonnée à la fois par la culture et par la crise.

1:38

Le vieillissement rapide de la population, une pénurie de main-d'œuvre,

1:42

un fort soutien du gouvernement à la production et au développement de la robotique,

1:46

et sa tradition d'animisme

1:50

la croyance selon laquelle toute chose, animée ou inanimée, incarne un esprit -

1:57

ont attisé les flammes de l'histoire d'amour du Japon avec les robots.

2:11

12 % des magasins de proximité japonais n'ouvrent pas 24 heures sur 24

2:15

en raison d'une pénurie de main-d'œuvre.

2:17

Une étude récente a révélé que le Japon pourrait être confronté à une pénurie de main-d'œuvre.

2:19

de plus de 11 millions de travailleurs d'ici 2040.

2:23

Les entreprises misent sur les robots pour remplir ces fonctions.

2:28

Ces robots pourraient travailler 24 heures sur 24, 7 jours sur 7, et transporter toutes sortes de marchandises,

2:34

et glissant le long de leurs trajectoires calculées avec précision,

2:37

leurs mouvements synchronisés une danse sans faille.

2:44

N'est-ce pas magnifique d'assister à la rencontre de l'ambition humaine ?

2:48

et de la puissance mécanique ?

2:54

Je suis à Tokyo pour rencontrer le fabricant japonais de robots Telexistence,

2:58

qui vient de lever 170 millions de dollars auprès d'investisseurs.

3:09

Jin, quels sont les avantages pour les entreprises de disposer de votre robot de vente au détail ?

3:15

Surtout au Japon, les gens ont tendance à penser que vous utilisez un robot,

3:19

peut-être que les entreprises peuvent réduire les coûts, n'est-ce pas ?

3:22

Mais dans le contexte du Japon, non, ce n'est pas le cas.

3:25

Parce que nous,

3:26

comme vous le savez peut-être, nous sommes déjà confrontés à des problèmes de pénurie de main-d'œuvre,

3:31

vieillissement, n'est-ce pas ?

3:33

Ce n'est donc pas une question de coût.

3:35

Il s'agit de savoir comment vous allez gérer votre entreprise de manière plus durable.

3:40

Notre robot ne remplace pas tous les emplois humains.

3:44

Nous voulons automatiser les tâches répétitives, les tâches ennuyeuses.

3:48

Les ambitions de Jin ne se limitent pas à remodeler le travail dans le commerce de détail.

3:53

Il veut que le commun des mortels profite lui aussi de ses inventions robotiques.

3:58

Pensez-vous que les robots et les humains peuvent bien coexister ?

4:04

Ou y aura-t-il des tensions ?

A spectacle of lights.

0:02

A showcase of what humans can achieve beyond the limits of our bodies.

0:07

A system that can reshape human potential.

0:11

Japan’s relationship with robotics is unique.

0:15

It’s the world’s number one industrial robot manufacturer.

0:18

But more than that

0:19

the dream of a robotic future feels real here.

0:23

Anime.

0:24

Manga.

0:24

Construction.

0:25

Manufacturing.

0:27

Hospitality.

0:28

You name it.

0:31

Chances are no matter where you go in Japan,

0:34

you will find a robot created by a future-minded industrialist,

0:38

and embraced by the public.

0:45

These machines mean big business for Japan,

0:45

These machines mean big business for Japan,

0:48

with the country producing and designing more industrial robots

0:52

than anywhere else in the world.

0:57

I’m Haslinda Amin.

0:59

And this is Momentum.

1:11

Welcome to Henn na Hotel.

1:15

Japan’s dominance in the field of robotics is no accident.

1:20

The country of 123 million people began developing

1:24

industrial robots in the 1960s

1:27

and became a leader in robotics production in the 1980s.

1:32

Japan’s unique relationship with robotics is shaped by both culture and crisis.

1:38

Its rapidly aging population, a labor crunch,

1:42

strong government support in robotics production and development,

1:46

and its tradition of animism -

1:50

the belief that everything, animate and inanimate, embody a spirit -

1:57

fanned the flames of Japan’s love affair with robots.

2:11

12% of Japan’s convenience stores don’t open 24 hours

2:15

due to a labor shortage.

2:17

A recent study found Japan may face a shortfall

2:19

of more than 11 million workers by 2040.

2:23

Companies are betting on robots to fill those roles.

2:28

These robots could work 24/7, transporting all manner of goods,

2:34

and gliding along their precisely calculated paths,

2:37

their synchronized movements a flawless dance.

2:44

Isn’t it beautiful when you witness the meeting of human ambition

2:48

and mechanical might?

2:54

I’m in Tokyo to meet Japanese robot manufacturer Telexistence,

2:58

which just raised 170 million dollars from investors.

3:09

So Jin, how do companies benefit from having your retail robot?

3:15

Especially in Japan, so people tend to think when you use the robot,

3:19

maybe the companies can bring down the cost right?

3:22

But in the context of Japan, no, that’s not the way it is.

3:25

Because we,

3:26

as you may know, we are already facing the labor shortage issues,

3:31

aging issues, right?

3:33

So it’s not about the cost.

3:35

It’s about how you’re going to run your business in a more sustainable way.

3:40

Our robot is not replacing all the human jobs.

3:44

We want to automate the repetitive job, the boring job.

3:48

Jin’s ambitions extend beyond reshaping retail work.

3:53

He wants the average person to benefit from his robotic inventions too.

3:58

Do you think robots and humans can coexist well?

4:04

Or will there be tensions?

4:06

People tend to think, you know, it's a bad thing,

4:09

because you know, the robot AI taking the job from them.

4:12

We want to use the robot with the AI as a basic asset,

4:17

meaning people own these basic assets,

4:20

and then have an income through the robot.

4:25

We want to let the individuals to own the robot

4:28

to have a basic income for their living.

4:33

Our goal is after we automate the job with a robot,

4:37

we try to create a surplus for the humans.

4:39

And then humans can use that surplus

4:42

to spend more good time with their families,

4:46

or spend time on what they want to do.

4:49

That's the society we want to create with robots.

4:53

Telexistence is part of a wave of tech start-ups that have popped up in Japan,

4:58

in part due to Japan’s history of robotic innovation,

5:01

and a younger generation shying away from the idea

5:04

of lifelong employment at big firms.

5:07

Has it been surprising

5:08

that there’s been so much innovation coming out of Japan,

5:13

are we seeing a resurgence of innovation?

5:17

In this era, why there’s a chance for the Japanese startup to going out,

5:22

is because we don’t have to deal with the language or cultures.

5:25

So for example, robotics.

5:28

Let’s say our robot is

5:31

is picking and placing the rice balls in the convenience stores, right?

5:35

When we bring our robot to the US the only difference is

5:39

picking a sandwich and then placing onto that shelf.

5:43

So you don’t really have to deal with the culture or language

5:46

to provide our service in different countries.

5:50

So that is, in that sense, we have more of a chance to do that.

5:55

In 2021, Telexistence partnered with FamilyMart,

5:59

a major convenience store chain here in Japan.

6:02

It’s deployed 300 robots in their stores so far.

6:06

Next year, they plan to deploy 3,000 across Japan.

6:10

And they’re also expanding to the United States.

6:14

For Telexistence, what does the US market represent?

6:20

In terms of the business, of course, that’s the biggest market in the world.

6:23

Make it there, make it everywhere.

6:25

So we want to actually deploy the robot in the biggest market.

6:28

And then, because we are doing the hardware, right.

6:31

So if we can deploy the hardware in the biggest market,

6:34

meaning we can bring down our costs, too.

6:36

And then we can deploy the robot to the rest of the world.

6:39

To us, that has a pretty critical influence on us.

6:42

Jin hopes as generative AI develops,

6:45

the next generation of retail robots will be able to do even more.

6:49

The current robot we deployed right now is a single task robot,

6:53

meaning the robot can only do one thing,

6:55

restocking the drinks in the backyard.

6:57

But if really the generative AI evolves, and when I say it evolves,

7:04

I mean not only generating the text or images or videos,

7:09

but if the foundation model can generate the motions,

7:13

then the robot can also move from a single task to a multitasking robot

7:18

because you don’t have to spend too much cost

7:22

to teach and train the motions to the robot.

7:25

So that’s the direction we’re looking to right now.

7:28

Japanese firms have historically excelled in creating robots.

7:32

Now, companies like Telexistence are taking its expertise in hardware,

7:37

and cementing Japan’s technological edge by developing their own software.

7:41

We built our hardware, a customized hardware.

7:45

You cannot just buy the robot in the market

7:47

and then apply to the convenience stores,

7:49

convenience stores in Japan, because that’s not enough,

7:53

we have to build a customised one, right?

7:56

When we control the robot, right,

8:01

we combined the AI machine learning with remote control,

8:05

that’s another differentiation.

8:08

My visit to Telexistence showed me that in Japan,

8:12

robots are not just a solution

8:13

to the socioeconomic issues the country is facing.

8:17

They represent the possible future of work,

8:20

in all sectors of the economy.

8:41

You know, robots are not just rewriting the equation in retail.

8:46

They’re also coming for agriculture.

8:51

I’m in Osaka, where robots have been deployed in farming.

8:58

So Jum, this is a harvester, but it is not an ordinary harvester.

9:02

I want to take a look, shall we?

9:04

Ok.

9:07

This is a combine harvester.

9:09

It’s a machine used for harvesting rice.

9:13

You can check data on this monitor,

9:15

including the protein percentage, moisture level, and collection volume.

9:21

You can see all that displayed here.

9:23

How is that useful for farmers?

9:26

This machine is equipped with GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System).

9:30

So we combine the GNSS data with what’s shown here.

9:35

And we’ll use all the gathered data,

9:38

to improve upon the quality of rice for next year’s harvest.

9:42

We want to grow even better-tasting Japanese rice, and more of it.

9:53

Ken, what are the pain points you are trying to address?

9:56

What challenges are there?

9:58

Japan’s farmers are aging and the number of farms continues to dwindle.

10:05

On top of that, we’re seeing fewer people taking over the business.

10:10

Knowing there won’t be enough workers to operate machinery,

10:12

what we need to do first is advance autonomous driving.

10:17

At the same time, we’re losing farmers with all this experience and knowledge.

10:22

So we need to preserve their know-how by turning it into data,

10:26

that can be incorporated into a usable system.

10:29

So having said that, Ken, what’s the future of farming?

10:35

How will it look like?

10:36

I mean, this is an industry that’s been so labor intensive.

10:42

How much will that change?

10:43

In the future, farmers will be able to manage operations remotely from home.

10:51

I think that way we’ll also be able to produce more and improve quality.

10:56

By incorporating more data, we can better balance supply and demand.

11:00

That could also help eliminate food waste.

11:05

Risks like uncertain weather, yields or crop prices

11:09

are a big part of the agriculture industry.

11:12

Kubota’s smart systems aim to reduce those risks.

11:16

When you take a look at farming, there are different requirements.

11:20

You know, farms are different sizes.

11:22

They grow different crops, you know, different seasons for them.

11:27

How do these machines and robots meet the various requirements?

11:32

How do they adapt?

11:34

There are all kinds of agriculture,

11:36

like producing rice, dry-field crops and fruits.

11:40

But all of the farming data and planning,

11:45

can be streamlined using tech,

11:48

instead of just hiring people to operate machinery,

11:50

new tech helps individuals and even mid or large-sized farms,

11:54

create a system that works for them.

11:58

From planning to sowing seeds and harvesting,

12:04

they can efficiently map out the entire process.

12:08

With everything integrated into one system,

12:12

it becomes possible to create a setup that’s tailored to specific needs.

12:17

Because of their small size,

12:18

Japanese farms need compact and precise machines.

12:22

Kubota has cornered this market

12:24

and it’s pushing technology they hope will transform

12:28

how these small plots are managed.

12:30

We’ve been collecting data using cameras,

12:33

which helps us determine the best timing for harvest.

12:36

We are researching ways to get robots to do tasks,

12:38

usually done by experienced farmers.

12:41

That is what we’re trying to make our strength.

12:46

With the use of robots,

12:47

crops are uniformly consistent and food waste is reduced -

12:51

all good news for a farm’s bottomline.

12:54

Kubota’s research institute in Japan

12:56

is building systems for autonomous driving,

12:59

which they hope will be revolutionary.

13:04

Kubota’s tech allows us to move a bunch of small tractors at once.

13:09

In modern-day farming, a large tractor causes all kinds of problems,

13:13

like bad drainage or poor crop growth when it enters a rice field

13:18

because it compacts soil.

13:20

In the future, there will be many small compact trucks like ours,

13:28

these tractors will be linked together and operate autonomously.

13:32

With today’s technology, it’s now possible to use GPS and cameras

13:37

to farm within 2-3 centimeters.

13:41

This is precision farming.

13:43

Beyond improving operational efficiency,

13:46

these robots can also help farmers analyze and review

13:49

what they do on the ground,

13:51

to ensure better yields and higher quality.

13:54

By collecting data and utilizing current AI tools,

13:59

regardless of location or climate,

14:04

farmers will be able to increase quality and volume each year.

14:09

By using GPS we can pull data on crop quality and quantity in any location.

14:17

By utilizing all of this, we can grow better crops.

14:20

Agriculture plays a major role in producing food,

14:24

that is essential for human survival.

14:28

So the question is how to do this efficiently and turn it into a profitable business.

14:32

In order to gain profit, it is necessary to lower costs

14:36

and at the same time produce good products and sell them at a high price.

14:39

If we want to go to a farm in the future, how would it look like?

14:44

Maybe in the future, when you walk into a rice field,

14:49

you’ll find lots of machines working on their own,

14:52

and they’ll be working freely for 24 hours, 7 days a week.

14:57

I wonder where the farmers will be when this happens,

15:00

and they might be at home drinking coffee, or sake,

15:03

or even going on a trip somewhere with his wife.

15:06

In such conditions, agriculture is still possible.

15:09

I think the world will become like that.

15:14

With Japanese farmers rapidly aging and a nationwide labor crunch,

15:20

it makes economic sense to transform the agricultural industry

15:25

with robotics.

15:28

The decline in the number of farmers

15:31

is a scenario playing out in Japan and globally.

15:34

But, to meet the world’s needs,

15:35

food production will have to increase 70 per cent by 2050,

15:39

compared with 2009.

15:41

Enter robots.

15:43

The global agriculture robots market was valued at just under $6 billion in 2021,

15:49

and is expected to hit $94 billion by the end of 2030.

15:54

Visiting Kubota has shown me that the agricultural industry,

15:58

known to be slow to digitize,

16:00

can transform itself with robots.

16:02

I wonder if construction, another industry slow to adopt automation,

16:07

can innovate too.

16:10

I’m heading to Komatsu, which is a trailblazer in the construction industry.

16:16

It is innovating, it is betting big on technology

16:20

to counter Japan’s labor crisis.

16:27

Chike-san,

16:28

it is really exciting to see the smart construction technology

16:32

that Komatsu has created.

16:34

It has the potential to really transform an industry that's labor intensive,

16:39

also physically demanding for workers.

16:42

First, I would like to eliminate any dangerous work on a construction site.

16:48

For example, all the physically demanding jobs will be replaced by machines.

16:55

The introduction of robots and automated processes in construction,

16:59

means Komatsu can customize the building process for each site.

17:03

In order to solve our customers’ problems,

17:08

we go to their sites and understand their work and operation,

17:12

so we can make a difference.

17:14

Firstly, we precisely reproduce the construction site in cyberspace.

17:21

This allows us to explore the space virtually.

17:24

And then we optimize the construction site in the digital realm

17:32

and bring it over to the real world.

17:35

The number of construction workers in Japan fell to 4.8 million in 2023,

17:41

from a peak of 6.9 million in 1997.

17:46

With labor shortages a long-term problem,

17:48

companies like Komatsu have turned to robotics to fill the gaps.

17:53

For example, in the construction industry, it is said that in the next few years

18:00

there will be a labor shortage of about 30% of the required labor force.

18:08

We believe our technology can help solve social issues,

18:15

such as the acute labor shortage that our customers are facing.

18:24

Especially in Japan, we have massive disasters like earthquakes.

18:31

Labor shortage in the construction industry

18:35

will greatly delay disaster recovery and reconstruction efforts.

18:42

Komatsu’s vision of fully autonomous construction machines

18:46

is still years away.

18:48

To realize its goal of smart construction,

18:51

Komatsu has formed partnerships with other technology companies,

18:54

like Japanese telco NTT and SONY.

18:58

So what is the vision?

18:59

Do you see the construction industry in the end being,

19:05

I guess, populated by machines, robots and drones right from the start?

19:11

I believe in the future,

19:18

many young people will play an active role in the construction industry.

19:28

For example, you can remotely operate machinery at a construction site

19:32

from your home, at any time you like.

19:36

For example, remotely operating machinery on construction sites

19:44

While robots and smart systems are not yet capable

19:47

of working independently on construction sites,

19:50

Komatsu is already deploying a hybrid method

19:54

where machines and humans work side by side.

19:58

If we have to go to the site, of course we’ll go,

20:03

but soon we will be able to get these jobs done from the office.

20:06

So we don’t have to go to the site at all.

20:11

We can remotely operate machines, or make plans, etc.

20:15

I dream of a construction site like that.

20:21

Smart tools and robots are streamlining construction sites across Japan.

20:26

Drones take photos of a site,

20:29

and the data collected is processed by Komatsu’s app,

20:33

and then analyzed by its human staff.

20:39

So we are looking at our job site overseas.

20:43

You see the 3D data here right?

20:45

So this is taken by a drone

20:47

and also processed with our Smart Construction Edge.

20:51

3D data in a matter of short time.

20:53

When you talk about data, what data exactly did the drone pick up?

20:58

Location information, and also the color and height.

21:03

Those kinds of data are included.

21:05

So based on that, if you move the picture into our Smart Construction Edge,

21:11

the device, it rapidly changes the picture into 3D data,

21:17

and then onboard it to this smart construction dashboard seamlessly.

21:22

So Mr Shike, with this kind of data,

21:25

you save cost and minimize errors?

21:29

But it also means that your workforce has to be skilled and talented.

21:35

Is it difficult to get the kind of?

21:37

Very easy.

21:41

Like he said it’s very easy.

21:43

You know why?

21:43

Because I’m not from, I don’t have any construction background.

21:49

I studied marketing in university but,

21:52

looking at the job site like a construction professional.

21:56

So, I’ll say this technology is very easy for everyone.

22:06

The narrative surrounding robots right now is pretty negative.

22:11

It’s about how robots will take away jobs.

22:14

But in the course of the conversations, you know with innovators,

22:18

you get a sense that robots are there to perform the jobs

22:21

that people don’t want to do.

22:26

In Japan, robots offer a vision of what the future might look like.

22:31

One where people’s time is freed from hard labor and menial tasks.

22:36

But skepticism is justified.

22:38

We’ve been promised this before -

22:40

that technology will make our lives easier -

22:44

only to find out it’s not so simple.

22:47

Here in Japan those concerns are paired with hope.

22:52

Technological optimism is what drives Japan’s scientists

22:58

to pioneer the robotics revolution,

23:01

and remodel our world into one where everyone,

23:06

human and robot can live, and work, and play side by side.

23:14

Check out our next Momentum episode.

Anglais

ToutSource : Bloomberg OriginalsIntelligence artificielleInformationsActualités internationalesActualités politiquesVidéos similairesPour vousVidéos mises en ligne récemment