VOA慢速英语--日本的商店测试机器人工人

In August, a robot will begin placing food and drinks on store shelves in Japan. This is a test that the robot's maker¹ hopes will help create a wave of automation in retail² stores. Automation is the process of using robots or computers, instead of people, for some jobs.

The manufacturer of the robot worker is a Tokyo-based company called Telexistence.

Following the test, store operator FamilyMart says it plans to use such robots at 20 stores in and around Tokyo by 2022.

One of FamilyMart's competitors is the retail chain Lawson. That company will be testing its first robot in September, according to Telexistence.

At first, people will operate the robots from a distance. These operations will continue until the machines' artificial intelligence (AI) can learn to copy human-like movements.

Jin Tomioka is the robot maker's chief executive. He noted³ how the technology lets people sense and experience places other than where they are.

"It advances the scope and scale of human existence," he said.

The idea, called telexistence, was first proposed around 40 years ago by the company's co-founder, University of Tokyo professor Susumu Tachi.

Telexistence calls its robot the Model T, after the famous Ford⁴ Motor car. The Ford Model T began the era of mass car use around 100 years ago.

The robot looks somewhat like an Australian animal -- a kangaroo. The unusual design is meant to help people feel at ease. Many people feel uneasy around robots that look too human.

Escaping factories

Robots are still a rare sight in public. They also struggle with simple jobs in unexpected settings.

Solving that problem could help businesses in some countries, especially those in rapidly aging Japan, deal with fewer workers. Businesses hit by the coronavirus may also need to operate with fewer people.

Since the coronavirus crisis began , hotels, restaurants and even oil companies have contacted Telexistence, Tomioka said.

Niki Harada is an official at Japan's Restaurant Workers Union. "It's difficult to tell now what impact robots might have in restaurants - it could mean fewer people, but it could also create new jobs," Harada said.

Although FamilyMart will still need people to control its robots, operators can be anywhere. The operators can also be people who would not normally work in stores, said Tomohiro Kano, a general manager.

"There are about 1.6 million people in Japan, who for various reasons are not active in the workforce," he said.

Takeo Kanade is an AI and robotics scientist at Carnegie Mellon University in the United States. Kanade joined Telexistence in February as an adviser⁵.

Future telexistence robots could be used in hospitals so doctors could perform operations from a distance, he said.

However, he added, it might take another 20 years before robots can work in people's homes.

"In order for robots to be really usable at home," he said, "we really have to be able to communicate."

I'm John Russell.

Words in This Story

shelf – n. a flat object which is connected to a wall, and on which other objects can be placed

retail – n. the business of selling things directly to customers for their own use

chain – n. a group of stores or businesses owned by the same company

according – adv. as stated by or in

artificial intelligence – n. the development of computers with the ability to do things that normally require human intelligence

scope – n. the area that is included in or dealt with by something

scale – n. the size or level of something especially in comparison to something else

era – n. a long time or period of history

rapidly – adj. very quickly

impact – v. to have a strong effect on someone or something

1 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

2 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

3 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

4 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

5 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。