At the MEMS & Sensors Forum in SEMICON Taiwan 2025 held in Taipei on September 9, two leading experts presented complementary visions for the future of robotics. Dr. Hiroshi Ishiguro, a renowned Japanese humanoid robotics expert, offered a philosophical perspective on avatars and societal change. Meanwhile, Dr. Jwu-Sheng Hu, Executive VP of Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), provided a more "down to earth" view on industrial strategy and the robotics supply chain.
The Human-Avatar Symbiotic Society
Dr. Ishiguro argued that the most transformative industries are those that repeatedly reshape the world, such as semiconductors. His focus is on developing avatars, which he defines as any robot or computer-generated agent that acts based on a person's intentions. He believes that the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote work, finally removing the societal barriers that once hindered the avatar market.
Central to his philosophy is the idea that humanoid robots are the ideal interface because our brains are naturally wired to recognize other humans. Dr. Ishiguro views this work as a "constructive science," using the creation of humanlike robots to understand our own higher cognitive functions, such as emotion and consciousness, and to explore "what it means to be human". He credits the advent of large language models with solving the longstanding challenge of creating humanlike conversational functions in robots.
He showcased his own robot avatar, a "convenient double" that can speak multiple languages, including Chinese (which he cannot). The avatar's perfect memory and ability to conduct media interviews allows Dr. Ishiguro to manage his busy schedule. He even uses over 50 robots to guide visitors through his Expo pavilion, a demonstration of his vision for a future where people are no longer constrained by their physical bodies.
Dr. Ishiguro then highlighted practical use cases, many of which are already under development through Japan’s government-backed Moonshot project. The initiative’s first goal is to establish by 2050 a society where individuals are no longer constrained by their physical bodies, brains, space, or time—expanding human abilities and granting new opportunities for participation.
Dr. Ishiguro showcased how avatars are already reshaping daily life across multiple sectors:
Retail and Service: In Japanese convenience stores and supermarkets, avatars assist customers around the clock. One wheelchair user was able to control five avatars remotely, earning a higher salary than in-person staff. Avatars also open global labor markets, enabling people in other time zones—for instance, Brazil—to work overnight shifts in Japan.
Education: Avatars act as personalized tutors, adapting to each student’s strengths and preferences, while also enabling international students to join classes virtually.
Healthcare: On a remote Japanese island of just 200 residents, avatars allow the local doctor to collaborate with university hospital specialists, effectively transforming a small clinic into a major medical hub.
Business: From public officials delivering speeches without security risks to life insurance agents conducting sensitive consultations, avatars are reshaping professional engagement.
From Automation to Autonomy
Dr. Hu’s presentation focused on the fundamental shift in robotics from automation to autonomy. He explained that while earlier robots were pre-programmed for repetitive tasks, advances in AI now enable them to handle complex, multi-joint motions. This new capability also introduces challenges such as high power consumption and overheating—issues Dr. Hu described as “exciting” because they fuel fresh opportunities for business and industry. He noted that the service robot market is projected to grow at a significant 23% annual rate through 2030.
He highlighted the key difference: in automation, humans provide both the objective and the action plan, whereas in autonomy, the robot generates its own plan from a human-defined objective. A major hurdle, he stressed, is the shortage of real-world data to train what he calls the “large behavior model.” Dr. Hu outlined two strategies to address this challenge:
Learning by Demonstration: A robot observes a human performing a task and uses that data to generalize the behavior to new situations.
Sim2Real: Robots are trained in a virtual world using digital twins, which is cost-effective but requires massive amounts of electricity and computing power to process image and sensor data.
Taiwan’s Strategy and a Shared Future
Dr. Hu outlined Taiwan’s robotics strategy, which builds on the nation’s strength in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The plan emphasizes enhancing existing systems with AI functions and advancing manufacturing and design for next-generation hardware. He underscored Taiwan’s role in supplying key components for the global robotics value chain.
ITRI has already spun off several robotics startups, including companies developing exoskeletons and robotic skin. As part of a new four-year, US$20 billion initiative, ITRI will also establish a national robotics center to spearhead this research.
Both speakers concluded with a unified message. Dr. Ishiguro stressed that avatars can enable a society of diversity and inclusion by liberating people from the constraints of their physical bodies and highlighting their skills and contributions. Dr. Hu reiterated that the ultimate goal is for robots not merely to entertain but to work—and specifically to perform the “dirty and dangerous” jobs on behalf of human beings. Together, their presentations offered a compelling roadmap for a future in which robots are seamlessly integrated into society to enhance human potential.
Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro, the key note speaker of MEMS & Sensors Forum of SEMICON Taiwan 2025. SEMI
Dr. Jwu-Sheng Hu, Executive Vice President, Industrial Technology Research Institute at SEMICON Taiwan 2025. SEMI
Article edited by Joseph Tsai