Video game console inventor starts new career making robots for no pay

By Pavel Alpeyev and Yuki Furukawa

Robotics
Monday, 12 Oct 2020
10:00 AM MYT

Kutaragi, the legendary inventor of the PlayStation gaming console, wants to make affordable robots that can safely move around and do physical work alongside humans in factories and logistics centers, and aims to have a working prototype in about a year. — Bloomberg

Ken Kutaragi, the legendary inventor of the PlayStation gaming console, is taking on one of the hardest jobs in robotics. And he’s getting paid nothing to do it.

The founder of Sony Corp’s gaming business is the new chief executive officer of Ascent Robotics Inc, a Tokyo-based artificial intelligence startup. Kutaragi, 70, wants to make affordable robots that can safely move around and do physical work alongside humans in factories and logistics centers, and aims to have a working prototype in about a year. He said he receives no salary to save precious capital.

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Kutaragi, the legendary inventor of the PlayStation gaming console, wants to make affordable robots that can safely move around and do physical work alongside humans in factories and logistics centers, and aims to have a working prototype in about a year. — Bloomberg

Robotic arms sit inside an Ascent Robotics Inc office in Tokyo, Japan. — Bloomberg

Kutaragi is trying to combine two technologies that have so far over-promised and under-delivered: autonomous driving and collaborative robots. — Bloomberg

A robotic arm picks up a cube at an Ascent Robotics Inc office in Tokyo, Japan. — Bloomberg

Kutaragi has a track record of solving difficult technical and business problems. — Bloomberg

A robotic arm picks up a cube at an Ascent Robotics Inc office in Tokyo, Japan. — Bloomberg

Ascent Robotics Inc engineers work at the company's office in Tokyo, Japan. — Bloomberg

Kutaragi has served as Ascent’s outside board director since 2018 and took over the CEO post on Aug 26. — Bloomberg

An engineer checks a robotic arm at an Ascent Robotics Inc office in Tokyo, Japan. — Bloomberg

Kutaragi, the legendary inventor of the PlayStation gaming console, wants to make affordable robots that can safely move around and do physical work alongside humans in factories and logistics centers, and aims to have a working prototype in about a year. — Bloomberg

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Robotics AI Console Video games Japan Technology

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Video game console inventor starts new career making robots for no pay

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Monthly Plan

Annual Plan

1 month

Kutaragi, the legendary inventor of the PlayStation gaming console, wants to make affordable robots that can safely move around and do physical work alongside humans in factories and logistics centers, and aims to have a working prototype in about a year. — Bloomberg

Robotic arms sit inside an Ascent Robotics Inc office in Tokyo, Japan. — Bloomberg

Kutaragi is trying to combine two technologies that have so far over-promised and under-delivered: autonomous driving and collaborative robots. — Bloomberg

A robotic arm picks up a cube at an Ascent Robotics Inc office in Tokyo, Japan. — Bloomberg

A robotic arm picks up a cube at an Ascent Robotics Inc office in Tokyo, Japan. — Bloomberg

Kutaragi has a track record of solving difficult technical and business problems. — Bloomberg

A robotic arm picks up a cube at an Ascent Robotics Inc office in Tokyo, Japan. — Bloomberg

Ascent Robotics Inc engineers work at the company's office in Tokyo, Japan. — Bloomberg

Kutaragi has served as Ascent’s outside board director since 2018 and took over the CEO post on Aug 26. — Bloomberg

An engineer checks a robotic arm at an Ascent Robotics Inc office in Tokyo, Japan. — Bloomberg

Kutaragi, the legendary inventor of the PlayStation gaming console, wants to make affordable robots that can safely move around and do physical work alongside humans in factories and logistics centers, and aims to have a working prototype in about a year. — Bloomberg

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