The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are coming up fast, and they’re more proof than we’ve ever had that the robot apocalypse is here. They might not be able to stop athletes from protesting, or stop cardboard beds from collapsing under the weight of post-race celebrations, but they can do a heap of other jobs.
Say hello to the robots you’ll be seeing around the Tokyo 2020 grounds.
Miraitowa and Someity: The Mascot Robots
These two are cute and I love them. Every country comes up with their own Olympic mascots, and Miraitowa (the blue one) and Someity (the pink one) seem harmless enough. They do all the sorts of things that mascots do like greet people and just generally be delightful.
They also have cameras in their foreheads that recognise expressions, so that they can react back to you with appropriate expressions.
Jobs Taken:
- Person in a mascot suit
- Customer service representative that has to smile at everyone
T-HR3 (Humanoid Robot)
I would argue that this robot is the most likely to revolt and start a robot revolution, and therefore the most terrifying. A team of T-HR3, which is human sized from what I can tell, will be spaced out around Tokyo to provide “images and sounds from the remote locations” so people can feel like they’re part of the action even if they aren’t at the arena. They also have technology “allowing them to converse with and high-five athletes and others,” so get your high-five hand ready.
Jobs Taken:
- People who facetime their mates from cool locations
- Creeper on the street who likes to high-five people
T-TR1 (Remote location communication Robot)
This bot basically does exactly what it says on the box. “It is equipped with a camera atop a large, near-lifesize display. By projecting an image of a user from a remote location, the robot will help that person feel more physically present at the robot’s location.”
Jobs Taken:
- TV Broadcaster
- Basically anyone who programs Skype
HSR: Human Support Robot and DSR: Delivery Support Robot
This robot is aimed specifically at the Paralympic games. They’ll help people to accessible seats, and bring you things like food and drink when you order from a special tablet. They’re designed to help people with disabilities “more freely enjoy the competition.”
Jobs Taken:
- Usher
- Waiter
- Your mate that you send to grab drinks when you don’t want to deal with the line
FSR: Field Support Robot (Field Event Support Robot)
This is the only robot directly involved with the actual sports at the Olympics. They’ll be working down on the field and picking up things like javelins. Basically this bot’s whole function is to play fetch.
Jobs Taken:
- The intern you make run out on to the javelin field
- Your dog
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