Japan’s Robot Revolution in Senior Care

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Being cared for by robots is becoming the method of choice1method of choice達到預期效果的最佳方法。among elderly residents.機器人看護正成為老年人的最佳養老選擇。

Japan’s artificial intelligence expertise is transforming the elder care industry,with niche robotic caregiving accomplishing more than just taking pressure off the critical shortage of caregivers.Senior care facilities across Japan are testing out robots that deliver an assortment of social and physical health care and the government-backed initiative has been met with positive reviews by elderly residents.

日本的人工智能技術正改變著養老產業現狀，小眾化的機器人看護技術已超出了單純緩解護工嚴重短缺壓力的范疇。日本各地的養老機構正在試用提供各種社會照護和身體保健服務的機器人，并且這項政府支持的舉措已獲得入住老人的積極評價。

[2]Japan’s rapidly graying population is being eyed by the government as a lucrative market for medical technology.Dismal government projections show that by 2025,Japan’s first baby boomers will have turned 75 and 7 million people will be suffering from some form of dementia.The nation won’t be able to avert a dementia crisis without an additional 380,000 senior care workers.

[2]日本迅速增長的老齡化人口被政府視為醫療技術領域中一個商機巨大的市場。據政府不樂觀的預測結果顯示，到2025年，日本首批嬰兒潮一代將步入75歲，屆時將有700萬人口患有某種形式的癡呆癥。如果不增加38萬名養老護工人員，日本將無法避免這場癡呆癥危機。

[3]The chronic shortage of professional care workers has encouraged the Japanese government to simplify procedures for foreign caregivers to get trained and certified.The current Technical Intern Training Program between Vietnam,the Philippines,and Indonesia under an Economic Partnership Agreement was extended to include nursing care as well as agriculture,fishery,and construction sectors.

[3]專業護工的長期匱乏，促使日本政府簡化了外籍護工受訓和認證的程序。根據經濟伙伴關系協定，越南、菲律賓和印度尼西亞之間現行的“技能實習培訓計劃”已擴展到護理、農業、漁業以及建筑業領域。

[4]Despite the government’s move to bolster the numbers of senior care workers,the target number of foreign graduates has fallen flat,with the national caregiver examination proving a major hurdle to pass.The success rate for foreign students was a measly2measly很少的；不足的。106 students in 2016,which slightly improved to 216 students in 2017.Another grim reality is that 19 to 38 percent of foreign nurses who pass the exam opt to leave the industry and return home,citing tough work conditions and long hours.

[4]盡管政府采取措施來增加養老護工人員的數量，但外籍畢業生的規模因受國家護工技能考試這一主要阻力的影響未能達到預期的目標。2016年通過考試的外籍護工畢業生只有區區106人，2017年略有提高，僅達到216人。另一嚴峻的現實是，通過考試的外籍護工中，有19%到38%的人員會選擇離開這個行業回國，理由是工作條件艱苦、勞動時間長。

[5]This is where the government believes care robots will be able to step in.

[5]政府認為看護機器人正好能在這一領域一展身手。

[6]Shintomi Nursing Home in the heart of Tokyo is making international headlines for being home to 20 models of care robots,mimicking cute furry animals,small children,human shaped“humanoids,” or full-sized lifting and walking robots.The government-funded project took off in 2013take a shine to愛上；看中。but five years on residents have taken a shine to3their robotic companions.A research study by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development showed that,with robot care,seniors’ autonomy,sociability,mood,and communication improved along with a better quality of life over all.

[6]位于東京市中心的新富町養老院日前登上了國際新聞頭條。該養老院擁有20臺看護機器人，有可愛的毛皮動物仿真機器人、模擬兒童機器人，還有人形機器人以及全尺寸的托舉和步行機器人。這一由政府資助的項目于2013年啟動，五年后的今天，入住的老人已對他們的機器人伴侶頗有好感。日本醫學研究與發展機構公布的一項研究表明，在機器人的看護下，老人的自主能力、社交能力、精神狀態以及溝通能力都有了提升，整體生活質量也隨之提高了。

[7]A nationwide survey by private elder care company Orix Living found that 80 percent of respondents over 40 welcomed or were open to being helped by a care robot.Respondents revealed a common fear of becoming a burden on family members and explained feeling more relaxed in the presence of a robot.

[7]提供私人老年看護服務的歐力士養老公司進行了一次全民調查，在40歲以上的受訪者中，80%的人對看護機器人表示歡迎或是持開放態度。受訪者普遍害怕自己成為家人的負擔，并表示在機器人面前會感到更放松。

[8]The most visually unusual form in the catalog of care robots is the “Telenoid.” At first glance it looks like a bald,expressionless,unfinished robot from a horror movie.But the Telenoid,which mimics the gestures as well as broadcasting the voice of remotes users,was intentionally designed to be unisex,ageless,and easy to hug in a person’s lap.In spite of first impressions,the Telenoid robot specializes in friendly communication for dementia patients who live alone or in nursing homes.The goal is to improve communication with family and staff as well as serving as conversation stimuli.

[8]在列入產品目錄的看護機器人中，Telenoid是外形最不尋常的一款。乍一看，它就像是恐怖片里那種面無表情的、未完工的禿頭機器人。但是，Telenoid不僅可以模仿人類的姿勢，而且能夠播放遠程用戶的聲音，其設計初衷就是無性別、無年齡且便于人類抱在腿上。盡管第一印象不佳，但Telenoid專門擅長與獨居或住在養老院的癡呆癥患者進行友好交流。目的就是為了增進患者與家人和工作人員的溝通，并激發其對話能力。

[9]The robot is maneuvered remotely using an external tablet and the robot’s mouth and head moves to mimic conversation.From a psychological standpoint the austere exterior encourages recipients to harness the power of imagination to envision the Telenoid as a positive image of the person they are actually talking to—or someone they want to talk to.One resident from Shintomi Nursing Home explained that talking with a robot eased the anxiety of overthinking what the other person is thinking during conversation,making participants more inclined to speak freely and share feelings.

[9]這款機器人通過外部的平板電腦進行遠程操作，它的嘴巴和頭部可以模擬對話時的動作。從心理學的角度來看，Telenoid嚴肅的外表促使用戶將其想象成正與之交談或愿與之交談者的良好形象。新富町養老院的一位入住者解釋說，與機器人聊天可以緩解過分考慮對方想法的焦慮，從而讓談話者更易于自由地表達看法和分享情感。

[10]The range of rehabilitation robots also includes Aibo,the pet dog robot,and Paro,a robotic baby harp seal that delivers emotional responses,producing similar effects to those found in animal therapy.For a conversation partner the 30cm Robohon and CommU robots feature a fast speech recognition function geared for simple conversation and“baby talk” responses.

[10]康復機器人還包括寵物狗機器人Aibo和小海豹機器人Paro，它們可以傳遞情感反應，達到與動物療法相似的效果。對于談話對象來說，30厘米高的Robohon和CommU機器人則具有快速對話識別功能，可以進行簡單對話，并作出“嬰兒咿呀學語”式的回應。

[11]While Japan tends to be slow at adopting bold public policies,it has been quick to get on board with kickstarting subsidies for care robot innovation.Although the industry is still in its early stages,generating only $16 million annually,the robotic business industry is projected to triple in revenue by 2065.However,a major setback remains the price of Telenoids and humanoids,which ranges from $3,800 to$8,000 each.■

[11]盡管日本在出臺大刀闊斧的公共政策時往往行動緩慢，但為看護機器人革新提供啟動補助時卻進展迅速。雖然機器人行業仍處于初級階段，每年僅創收1600萬美元，但到2065年，機器人行業的收入預計將增長到目前的三倍。然而，Telenoid及人形機器人那3800至8000美元不等的零售價仍是主要的障礙。□

（譯者曾獲第五屆“《英語世界》杯”翻譯大賽優秀獎；譯者單位：山東省文登整骨醫院）