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The Robot That Gives Humans a Job

Kevin McCloud’s Rough Guide to the Future

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(upbeat music) Avatar Robot Cafe. Couldn't just send me to a normal tea room, could he? All the staff here are robots. (robot speaking) They take the orders and serve the drinks. Those tall robots keep circling me, like sharks. This is quite menacing as well. But there's more to these plastic waiters than meets the eye. Hello, what's your name? My name is Massa. Massa, where are you in the world? My house. Is that in Tokyo? Yes, Tokyo, yes. (Japanese) Well, I am disabled and I am bed bound.

I always wanted to work but I have struggled to get a job.
At this cafe, even if you are disabled or can't leave your home, you can still work. I've never seen anything like this before. I'll be honest, when I first walked in I thought, we get it Japan, you love robots, they do everything, but this is really cool. Is technology replacing human interaction or is it improving it? And this really feels like it's improving it. Hello, my name is Massa, nice to meet you.

Massa, who is piloting the avatar
that served Alice, lives a few miles outside Tokyo. (Japanese) One iced coffee, one hot coffee and a green tea. Thank you very much. He's one of 10 people working here with severe physical disabilities. (Japanese) Is the order ready for table six? He has a debilitating muscular disease but he can control the robot waiters using sophisticated eye tracking technology. (Japanese) I hope you had a great time today.

And the arrival of 5G is set to offer
Massa even more freedom. In the future he'll be able to send an avatar robot to almost any location, indoor or out. Hi Massa, it's Alice. Konnichiwa How do you think working at the cafe has changed your life? Before I worked in the cafe, I was worried about working in society because I was bed bound. But when I served the customers and saw that I could bring them joy it gave me huge confidence.

For disabled people like me,
technology brings hope. I have a huge amount of hope. Hope for the future.

This is life altering, this means that Massa
can actually be part of what's going on out here. 'Cause otherwise, I mean, he's in bed for most of the time. So it actually just gives him a chance to plug in. Like he can actually be part of the conversation and be part of busy Tokyo.

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Avatar Robot Cafe. Couldn’t just send me to a normal tearoom, could he? All the staff here are robots. (robot speaking) They take the orders and serve the drinks. Those tall robots keep circling me, like sharks. This is quite menacing as well. But there’s more to these plastic waiters than meets the eye. Hello, what’s your name? My name is Massa. Massa, where are you in the world? My house. Is that in Tokyo? Yes, Tokyo, yes. (Japanese) Well, I am disabled and I am bed bound.

I always wanted to work but I have struggled to get a job. At this cafe, even if you are disabled or can’t leave your home, you can still work. I’ve never seen anything like this before. I’ll be honest, when I first walked in I thought, we get it Japan, you love robots, they do everything, but this is really cool. Is technology replacing human interaction or is it improving it? And this really feels like it’s improving it. Hello, my name is Massa, nice to meet you.

Massa, who is piloting the avatar that served Alice, lives a few miles outside Tokyo. (Japanese) One iced coffee, one hot coffee and a green tea. Thank you very much. He’s one of 10 people working here with severe physical disabilities. (Japanese) Is the order ready for table six? He has a debilitating muscular disease but he can control the robot waiters using sophisticated eye tracking technology. (Japanese) I hope you had a great time today.

And the arrival of 5G is set to offer Massa even more freedom. In the future he’ll be able to send an avatar robot to almost any location, indoor or out. Hi Massa, it’s Alice. Konnichiwa How do you think working at the cafe has changed your life? Before I worked in the cafe, I was worried about working in society because I was bed bound. But when I served the customers and saw that I could bring them joy it gave me huge confidence.

For disabled people like me, technology brings hope. I have a huge amount of hope. Hope for the future.

This is life altering, this means that Massa can actually be part of what’s going on out here. ‘Cause otherwise, I mean, he’s in bed for most of the time. So it actually just gives him a chance to plug in. Like he can actually be part of the conversation and be part of busy Tokyo.

413 Words

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Useful Expressions

take (someone’s) order   注文を取る
They take the orders and serve the drinks.

circle   旋回する/~を囲む
Those tall robots keep circling me, like sharks

menacing   威嚇的な
as well   おまけに/でもある
This is quite menacing as well.

disabled   身体障害のある
bed-bound   寝たきりの
Well, I am disabled and I am bed-bound.

struggle   悪戦苦闘する
I always wanted to work but I have struggled to get a job.

even if   たとえ~だとしても
At this cafe, even if you are disabled or can’t leave your home, you can still work.

have never done   一度も~したことがない
I’ve never seen anything like this before.

honest   正直な
I’ll be honest, when I first walked in I thought, we get it Japan, you love robots, they do everything, but this is really cool.

replace   ~に取って代わる
human interaction   人との交流
improve   改善する
Is technology replacing human interaction or is it improving it?

pilot   操縦する *a pilot ~ a driver
Massa, who is piloting the avatar that served Alice, lives a few miles outside Tokyo.

severe   重度の
physical   身体の
disability   障害
physical disability   身体障害
He’s one of 10 people working here with severe physical disabilities.

debilitating   衰弱させる
disease   病気
debilitating muscular disease   筋肉を弱らせる(衰弱させる)病気
sophisticated   複雑な/高度な
eye-tracking   視線の動きを追うこと
He has a debilitating muscular disease but he can control the robot waiters using sophisticated eye-tracking technology.

be worried about   ~を心配する
Before I worked in the cafe, I was worried about working in society because I was bed-bound.

confidence   自信
But when I served the customers and saw that I could bring them joy it gave me huge confidence.

a huge amount of ….   多くの量の~/大量の~
I have a huge amount of hope. Hope for the future.

life-altering   人生を変える
be part of ….    ~の一部である
This is life-altering, this means that Massa can actually be part of what’s going on out here.

otherwise   さもなければ
‘Cause otherwise, I mean, he’s in bed for most of the time.

plug in   ~にたずさわる/~にかかわる
So it actually just gives him a chance to plug in.

conversation   会話  
Like he can actually be part of the conversation and be part of busy Tokyo.

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