A Visit to the Tsukuba Science Exposition

Tsukuba Expo ‘85 is huge, interesting, and fun. The Japanese pavilions are plush and well-organized, and contain some impressive artificial intelligence demonstrations. The U.S. pavilion is an embarrassment. Tsukuba Expo ‘85 opened on March 17,1985, to enormous publicity. The New York Times reported that “the budget for the fair is more than $2 billion, and individual companies have spent large sums. A huge billboard in the Ginza, Tokyo’s stylish shopping district, has for two years been counting down the days until the opening.“’ The exposition (technically a “world’s fair”) is intended as an international showplace for advanced technology, and for months rumors had been circulating about the technological marvels to be displayed, including artificial intelligence exhibits, in the U.S. and other pavilions.2 are over 250 concessions (restaurants, fast food, souvenir shops), 10 information centers, 5 post offices, 3 banks, etc. Other “events” include concerts by the New York Symphonic Ensemble Concert and performances by the Soviet Folk Dance Troupe. Expo ‘85 also includes an amusement park, the world’s largest ferris wheel, the world’s largest TV screen (see Figure 2), parades, marching bands, and floats with dancing girls. In short, it is a cross between a technical trade show and Coney Island-it’s fun. I spent one day at Expo ‘85 (April 20), not nearly long enough to see it all. It is enormous (250 acres) and contains some massive pavilions (see Figure 1). And it is crowded. According to the Oficial Guide Book,3 the government expects 20 million visitors (one sixth of the entire population of Japan). There are 113 different organizations with exhibitions at the fair: 28 Japanese corporations, 48 countries, and 37 international organizations. There 1 “Japan’s View of the 21st Century,” New York Times, March 8, 1985. Patre Dl 2 “The United States Information Agency is quite excited about the American contribution to the 1985 Japanese Expo in Tsukuba, Japan The U S pavilion is a state-of-the-art display of artificial intelligence technology ” ICS Applied Artificial Intelligence Reporter, “Tsukuba Expo ‘85 Opens,” Vol. 2, No. 6 (March 1985). 3Tsukuba Expo ‘85 Official Guide Book, Japan Association for the International Exposition, Tsukuba, 1985. Fujitsu: Long Lines First on my list of places to visit was the Fujitsu pavilion, which is said to contain the world’s largest robot. However, the line seemed endless (a two-and-a-half hour wait, I was told) so I decided to go on to my number two spot, which was the Matsushita pavilion. Along the way I noticed that there was no line at the U.S. pavilion, which I took to be a bad sign. Matsushita: A Portrait-Drawing Robot At Matsushita (which uses the brand names Panasonic and National) the line was long but not unendurable. As you enter, you are greeted by a number of attractive and courteous young hostesses in uniform. They bow to welcome you and bow again to wish you farewell as you leave. (A nice touch, which I encountered in all the Japanese pavilions.) The exhibits themselves are elegantly displayed, and one gets the feeling that no expense has been spared. My principal interest at Matsushita was the famous robot that draws portraits of live subjects. At the exhibit two such robots work side by side, simultaneously drawing two subjects. The demonstrations are continuous; as soon as one portrait is completed, a new subject is taken from the front of a queue, seated in the subject’s chair, and 94 THE AI MAGAZINE Fall, 1985 AI Magazine Volume 6 Number 3 (1985) (© AAAI)