Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Iizuka, Michiko
Author-Email: mi-iizuka@grips.ac.jp
Author-Workplace-Name: National Graduate Research Institute on Policy Studies (GRIPS),
	 Tokyo, Japan 
Author-Name: Ikeda, Yoko
Author-Email: ikeda-yoko@rieti.go.jp
Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI),
	 Tokyo, Japan
Title: Regulation and innovation under Industry 4.0: Case of medical/healthcare robot, 
	 HAL by Cyberdyne
Abstract: Innovations using emerging technologies (artificial intelligence, 
	 robotics, the internet of things), are said to improve productivity and 
	 quality of life. On the other hand, the diffusion of such innovation 
	 involves risks and uncertainties regarding safety. Generally, these 
	 risks are managed by government by means of regulation. Yet it 
	 increasingly falls short on governing emerging technology due to 
	 innovations' global connectivity, commercialization and heightened risk 
	 & uncertainty. These pose challenges to firms for commercialization 
	 because emerging innovations often do not come under the existing 
	 product categories nor corresponding regulations. This study answers how 
	 product based on emerging technology commercialize, overcoming existing 
	 regulatory barriers on safety, using firm strategies and role of 
	 standards played, through an examination of the case of Cyberdyne, a 
	 successful medical/healthcare robotics company in Japan. Cyberdyne 
	 developed and commercialized the world's first product using cybernics 
	 in wearable medical/healthcare device. The case illustrates the 
	 increasing complexity of safety regulations and role of standards for 
	 firms to innovate applying emerging technologies. It concludes with an 
	 exploration of policy considerations regarding the regulation in dealing 
	 with emerging technologies under Industry 4.0.
Classification-JEL: O33, F23, I18, L15
Keywords: Regulation, standards, Industry 4.0, emerging technology, robotics,
	 institutional arbitration, governance, Japan
Series: UNU-MERIT Working Papers
Creation-Date: 20190930
Number: 2019-038
File-URL: https://unu-merit.nl/publications/wppdf/2019/wp2019-038.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
File-Size: 275 Kb
Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2019038