Unlike countries in the West, robots in Japan are an integral part of society. In the near future, robots will conquer the household and be engaged in caring for the elderly and infirm.

Germany is the second "robot nation" in terms of the number of robots, right behind Japan and ahead of the United States. And when it comes to research in the field of robotics, Germany is far ahead. But many Germans can only imagine robots in factories, but not in the household. Because prejudices are too great. In Japan, all this is viewed much differently, and more than 370,000 robots are in use. They work in factories, in the production of rice or as receptionists.

The Bielefeld Institute has been cultivating intensive cooperation with the leading robotics institute in Osaka for years. Because, in that eight-million metropolis, visions quickly take shape. Professor Helge Richter believes that in the near future, robots, as a household aid, will be accepted in the West, in some form of butler. The robot should actually do all those boring household chores, so that man can concentrate on what he can d best.

Experts from Bielefeld and Osaka agree on one thing: what robots look like and what they can actually do to be better accepted is essential. However, scientists occasionally have completely different approaches. So Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro argues that a robot should give the impression of being alive. The world-famous scientist, who is always dressed in black, also has a twin robot that even has the same hair as Ishiguro.