Matsushita Electric's Consideration of FIPA

1; Physical Agent /Mechanical Robot in Electronics Industries

Physical Agent means Robot which is a machine tool of doing the job with brain like human being do. At first, in electronics industries, Robot was introduced into the factory for working at assemble line. The purpose of introduction is simple replacement of the workers who actually work in monotonous, repetition job such as screw driver assemble or outside inspection. It is quite clear that ordinary workers may lose their interest in these simple repetition job after he or she is accustomed to.

This cause serious product quality problem and to solve is strong factory demand.

We already implement many numbers of Assemble Robot (some sort of Physical Agent) into the factories and actually working well.

This type of Robot / Physical Agent, dose not require any kind of standardized specification.

2; Working Robot / Agent at Home

Refer back to the general purpose of Robot, we consumer electronics companies try to develop called Housekeeping Robot like a floor cleaning job or Kitchen Robot like a coocking job. These are now used actually in quite limited number of the home.

These products are still on the way of under development stage, having a lot of working condition on doing actual job operation. We cannot find the appropriate portion which is necessary to set the standard in this type of Physical Agent.

Because, they (Robot ) work independently and do not have common component or communication facilities on it.

3; Communication Agent

On the other hand, Communication Agent (not true physical agent but may have physical component ) definitely need specific standard (protocol) in order to establish free communication environment.

Typical application of this type of Agent Communication is for secretary job.

Agent should communicate each other and recognize, understand each other, even their master's intention or consideration. These Agent Communication need specific protocol and interface like DAVIC do.

4; Conclusion

FIPA should not stick on the physical but start the activity on Communication Agent standard specification.