Japanese electronics and entertainment conglomerate Sony Group Corp said on Tuesday that it has the technology to quickly produce humanoid robots once it figures out how they could be used effectively. “In terms of technology, several companies in the world, including this one, have accumulated enough technology to be able to produce them quickly once it becomes clear which use is promising,” Sony chief technology officer Hiroaki Kitano said in an interview. “The key is developing the application,” Kitano said.
Sony launched a robotic dog called Aibo more than two decades ago. It sold about 150,000 Aibos from 1999 to 2006, and in 2018 launched an advanced version that sold about 20,000 units in the first six months. Honda Motor Co and Hyundai Motor Co have been developing humanoid robots for decades, and in September Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk showed off a prototype of his Optimus humanoid robot. Musk’s company plans to deploy thousands of robots in its factories and eventually expand to millions worldwide.
Kitano said Sony, armed with expertise in audio-visual technology and a wealth of entertainment content including music and video games, is well-positioned to play a major role in metaversions, or immersive virtual worlds. Metaversion is a vague term encapsulating the idea that consumers will spend more time in online simulated environments. As the concept evolves, it has become a buzzword in briefings and a driving force behind industry spin-offs. “When it comes to metaversions, it’s not like people show up just because you’ve created a place … Content is what makes or breaks a metaversion.”
