（２３９） Ｉ Ｇｏ ｔｏ Ｔｓｕｋｕｂａ Ｃｈａｌｌｅｎｇｅ ２０２２
文字数 2,545文字
One of the catchphrases of Tsukuba City, where I live, is "Tsukuba, the city of robots."
However, I don’t think many people living in Tsukuba City have seen a robot walking in their neighborhood even though it is called "Robot Town Tsukuba".
I’ve never seen a robot near our house, either.
In March 2011, the "Tsukuba Mobility Robot Experiment Special Zone" was designated as a structural reform special zone. In special zones, it is possible to experimentally run ride-on mobility robots on public roads such as general sidewalks, which are typically not permitted by law.
There are two special zones: (1) the Tsukuba Center Area centered around Tsukuba Station and (2) the Tsukuba Kenkyu Gakuen Area centered around Kenkyu Gakuen Station.
The reason I don't see any robots near my house is because there is a regulation that states robots are not allowed to leave the special zones.
Tsukuba is the first city in Japan where Segways can run on public roads.
Segways are designated as a "boarding-type mobile support robot" in Tsukuba City.
In other words, Segways can run on public roads within the special zones.
Every fall, there is an event called the Tsukuba Challenge, where you can test a robot in the Tsukuba Research Academy area.
In 2022, Nov. 20th was the Tsukuba Challenge 2022 day.
In addition to the day of the event, there are also two test- drive days before the event to adjust the robots, and we can observe the test drives.
Since I was born, I’ve never seen a big robot, so we went to Tsukuba Challenge 2022.
①This is the goal in front of City Hall.
② This is a red robot in front of City Hall.
③ This is a robot going in front of City Hall.
④This is a tricycle-like robot.
⑤ These triangular cones are obstacles. There is a part of the course where half of the road is blocked with green cones. If a robot goes through the side without cones, it’ll be successful. Avoiding cones is too easy for me.
⑥ The standing signboard says, "Robot route blockage - recognizable robots should detour." I'm not a robot, so I can continue.
⑦ This is the cone at the turning point of the course at Kenkyu Gakuen-mae Park. This is the furthest point from the goal.
⑧ A quadrupedal robot came to Kenkyu Gakuen-mae Park. Only this robot could go up and down stairs.
⑨ The quadruped robot is popular, and children are following it. A robot would be perfect if it had legs instead of wheels.
⑩ All the robots have returned to the city hall venue where the goal is, so we’re thinking about going home soon.
However, I don’t think many people living in Tsukuba City have seen a robot walking in their neighborhood even though it is called "Robot Town Tsukuba".
I’ve never seen a robot near our house, either.
In March 2011, the "Tsukuba Mobility Robot Experiment Special Zone" was designated as a structural reform special zone. In special zones, it is possible to experimentally run ride-on mobility robots on public roads such as general sidewalks, which are typically not permitted by law.
There are two special zones: (1) the Tsukuba Center Area centered around Tsukuba Station and (2) the Tsukuba Kenkyu Gakuen Area centered around Kenkyu Gakuen Station.
The reason I don't see any robots near my house is because there is a regulation that states robots are not allowed to leave the special zones.
Tsukuba is the first city in Japan where Segways can run on public roads.
Segways are designated as a "boarding-type mobile support robot" in Tsukuba City.
In other words, Segways can run on public roads within the special zones.
Every fall, there is an event called the Tsukuba Challenge, where you can test a robot in the Tsukuba Research Academy area.
In 2022, Nov. 20th was the Tsukuba Challenge 2022 day.
In addition to the day of the event, there are also two test- drive days before the event to adjust the robots, and we can observe the test drives.
Since I was born, I’ve never seen a big robot, so we went to Tsukuba Challenge 2022.
①This is the goal in front of City Hall.
② This is a red robot in front of City Hall.
③ This is a robot going in front of City Hall.
④This is a tricycle-like robot.
⑤ These triangular cones are obstacles. There is a part of the course where half of the road is blocked with green cones. If a robot goes through the side without cones, it’ll be successful. Avoiding cones is too easy for me.
⑥ The standing signboard says, "Robot route blockage - recognizable robots should detour." I'm not a robot, so I can continue.
⑦ This is the cone at the turning point of the course at Kenkyu Gakuen-mae Park. This is the furthest point from the goal.
⑧ A quadrupedal robot came to Kenkyu Gakuen-mae Park. Only this robot could go up and down stairs.
⑨ The quadruped robot is popular, and children are following it. A robot would be perfect if it had legs instead of wheels.
⑩ All the robots have returned to the city hall venue where the goal is, so we’re thinking about going home soon.
