Does your robot need a doctor?

Japan is years ahead of the U.S. in personalized robots in their homes.
It seems that Japan has a thing for robots. Dozens of companies make and sell these humanoid machines.

This has lead to the creation of the first robot hospital in Osaka. The Akazawa Roboclinic The hospital was launched by machinery maker Systec Akazawa.

They offer diagnosis and treatment for down-and-out droids. They have all the proper signs for their different departments, including examination, operating and rehabilitation rooms.
They only have a staff of four, But everyone including the hospital chief Dr. Ohno, are decked out in white lab coats.

Most robot manufacturers are too small to offer tech support. So Ohno and his team of droid doctors take care of things for them. Most owners in Japan consider their robots family members.

" Japanese people don't want their robots repaired, they want them treated."

I can see how someone could get emotionally connected to a machine. shoot we in the U.S. get attached to cars and boats and even to the point of giving them special names.

The way that the newer robots seem to have their own personality they really create a connection with their owner. So I can understand how someone would want to send their "pet" or "family member" to a doctor, not a technician.

I wonder when robots really take off in the U.S. if the RoboClinics will too?

Maybe we can get them to take Blue Cross and Blue Shield.
Then all we need to do is be able to claim them as a dependent to the I.R.S. Then we would be all set!