(JP)Hospital to test robot guide dogs

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Hospital to test robot guide dogs

 

Jan 14, 2002

Yomiuri Shimbun

 

A research team headed by a Yamanashi University

professor has made 20 prototype robot guide dogs to be

tested in the coming fiscal year at Yamanashi Medical

College Hospital in Tamahocho, Yamanashi Prefecture.

 

Robot guide dogs are expected to become readily

available in about three years, sources close to the

university said.

 

Hygiene standards prevent real guide dogs from

entering hospitals.

 

The team is led by Prof. Hideo Mori, of the

university's electric and electronic system

engineering department, and involves input from four

companies, including Suzuki Motor Corp., headquartered

in Shizuoka Prefecture, and Tokyo-based Hitachi, Ltd.

The prototype dogs are equipped with high-tech devices

such as video cameras and ultrasound sensors to enable

them to detect obstacles, signals and braille letters.

 

 

Onboard computers process the information and send

signals to electric motors.

 

The robot dogs can inform users of traffic signal

colors and traffic conditions, memorize routes, and

gently guide users, who grasp handles fixed to the

dogs' backs, to their destinations, the sources said.

 

Because the university has yet to determine whether it

is legal for the visually impaired to use " electric

carts " on public roads, the prototype dogs will be

used on an experimental basis at the hospital for the

time being.

 

The team plans to develop robot guide dogs to steer

visually impaired patients at the hospital to places

such as examination rooms and the hospital shop, the

sources said.

 

Mori began the research in 1990. About two years ago,

he received about 180 million yen in state funding and

began joint research with the four companies.

 

Each of the prototypes costs about 4 million yen to

make, but mass production should cut that figure to

about 1 million yen, the sources said, adding that the

team's ultimate goal is to put robot guide dogs on

public roads.

 

Copyright 2002 The Yomiuri Shimbun

 

 

 

 

 

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