High-Tech Toy Industry’s Value Chain Analysis for Ubiquitous Robots in Home Sensing Robotics Network - A Study on Future Personal Robotized Toy Industry in Taiwan

本文旨在探討一個創新之解決方案藉由近期蓬勃發現的個人智慧型機器人產業發展進而提昇人類全體之生活品質。 本文透過施振榮先生微笑曲線相關文獻，了解目前高科技玩具產業之價值鏈現況，類推研題以個人機器人為網際網路 ( Internet ) 之入口捷徑, 並藉由無線感知網路 ( Wireless Sensor Network ) 可以提供環境資料與個人資料的搜集, 伴隨著智慧性決策分析機制及家庭網路與通訊網路的整合，使得一個未來無所不在的優質化（Ubiquitous Computing : Ubiquitous，字面意思為：到處存在的、普遍存在的、無所不在的。 ）無線智慧型機器人網路家庭得以實現 ( Wireless Robotics Network : WRN )。 服務用機器人目前正處於萌芽階段，微軟認為機器人市場一直受到缺乏標準與一致性的困擾就像早期的PC產業一樣。它沒有共通的平台、共通的開發環境，各個計畫之間沒有可重複使用的部分。微軟於美國匹茲堡舉辦的2006年國際機器人產業展中發表機器人軟體開發工具Microsoft Robotics Studio，宣佈正式進軍機器人產業。 微軟預估在十年之內，機器人產品將像個人電腦一樣走入家庭，並能創造上百億美元的市場。 2005年美國 iRobot Corportation「Roomba」Vacuuming Robot 全球銷售量超過260萬台。目前日本已將智慧型機器人列為新產業創造戰略七大領域之一，韓國也列為十大新世代成長動力產業之一，已投入大量資金、人力積極發展。不久的未來, 家用/娛樂機器人將繼電腦與消費性電子產品成為半導體及積體電路最大的需求市場,各種智慧型機器人也將成為下一波新興產業,進而改變人類的生活. 本論文研究方法先藉由微笑曲線相關文獻探討，建立起論文整體架構以及相關理論之說明，定義所需探討之研究方法，再導入Michael E.Porter的五力分析，以五種競爭力，分別是客戶的議價力，供應商的議價力，新進入者的威脅，替代者的威脅，及同業間的競爭激烈程度。五者之間呈現動態的互相影響來進行個人智慧型機器人產業發展的競爭優勢比較，並探討臺灣資訊產業未來的優質化(Ubiquitous)智慧型機器人發展策略。本研究結果，提出七個具高度競爭力之新創事業體，藉由其整合之價值鏈以期臺灣能在這場未來的競爭贏得頭籌In this thesis, we summarize an approach for the upcoming personal robot market. In a manner analogous the toy industry value chain in Stan Shih’s Smiling curve, we propose to use delight and affordable robotized toy to act as an information gateway into wireless sensor network. We predict when the sensor networks take advantage of a toy robot’s mobility and intelligence; the integrated sensor network toy will push robots into every home like they have done in the personal computer field. We study the robot development for the past decade; we have discovered that starting from industry robots to help factory automation, explorer robot in Mars till today’s education and entertainment robot at home. Today’s robots have become smarter, more efficient and affordable. For example, several successful new American robot companies like iRobot and WowWee can easily sell millions robots into consumer market with good profitability; US DoD (Department of Defense) decided to adopt great number of robots in the battlefield to decrease the lost of service men’s life; Microsoft roll out “Microsoft Robotics Studio” to standardize robot software developing platform, All important technologies such as machine learning, speech/vision/gesture recognition, actuation ( mobility and manipulation ) and new material ( such as artificial muscle ) have been successfully development in major top tier research centers such as MIT and Stanford Research Institute; Japanese and Korean governments has chosen robotics industry as the strategy direction for nationwide development; numbers of giant Taiwanese information and communication technology companies has formed up new teams even new companies to put their resource into the robot development. All sign shows the new era of robot business is coming. But just no one knows, when, where and how it will come. Undoubtedly, A new business value chain will come soon, and when it comes, it will change not only today’s industry, but also change many things in our life. This paper will collaborate Michael E. Porter’s Five Forces Framework with Stan Shih’s Smiling curve theory to describe the challenge and opportunity for toy industry and Taiwanese electronics industry in the future potential robot value chain. To this end, thesis will also unveil our discovery of the opportunities to establish highly competent new companies through the rapid growth of future ubiquitous personal robot world.1.Introduction...12 2. Market Analysis...17 2.1 Service Robot Industry...17 2.2 Service Robots Developing in Korea...18 2.3 The future of Ubiquitous Robot world...20 3. Robotized Toy Value Chain Analysis...21 3.1 Robot Creators...21 3.1 1 "Three Laws of Robotics” of Issac Asimove...21 3.1.2 Dr. Mark Tilden for RobotSapien in WowWee...22 3.1.3 Caleb Chung for Pleo in Ugobe...22 3.1.4 TomotakaTakahashi in leading the Japanese robot design...23 3.2 Value Chain in Stan Shih’s Smiling Curve...24 4. Personal Robot Company and Product Survey...28 4.1 iRobot Roomba...28 4.2 Pleo in Ugobe as the 'Pixar of robotics'...28 4.3 LEGO® MINDSTORMS™ NXT...31 4.4 WowWee : Robosapien, Robosapien V2 and Robosapien RS Media...32 5. Personal Robot Classification...36 5.1 Entertainment Robots...36 5.2 Home Robots...38 5.3 Household Robots...39 5.4 Robot Kits...40 6. The Robotics Network theme : RN...41 6.1 The Robotics Network...41 6.2 Robotics Network Wireless Sensor Network WSN Unit “RN Cube3"...42 6.2.1 Cube” Specification Planning...42 6.2.2 Simulate unit...43 6.2.3 Entry and Growth Strategy...44 7. The Marketing Plan...48 7.1 Target Market Strategy...48 7.2 Top 10 Toy Wishes Holiday Dolls And Toys 2006...50 8. Analysis Taiwan Electronic Companies’ core Competitiveness in emerging personal robot industry by Michael E. Porter’s Five Forces Framework...53 8.1 Porter's Five Forces Model...53 8.1.1 Barriers to entry...53 8.1.2 Rivalry among existing competitors...54 8.1.2 Rivalry among existing competitors...54 8.1.4 Power of buyers...54 8.1.5 Power of suppliers...54 8.2 Study the robotized toy value chain with Michael E. Porter’s Five Forces Framework...55 8.2.1 Treat of New Entrants...55 8.2.2 Rivalry among existing competitors...57 8.2.3 Substitutes...58 8.2.4 Power of suppliers...59 8.2.5 Power of buyers...60 9. The Offering : A new industry with 7 opportunities for new start up...62 9.1 RN Creator unit introduction...62 9.2 RN Brand unit introduction...63 9.3 RN OEM unit introduction...63 9.4 RN Cube unit introduction...64 9.5 RN Chip unit introduction...64 9.6 RN Engineering unit introduction...65 9.7 RN Service unit introduction...65 10. Conclusion...67 References...6