A new café is set to open in November in Tokyo’s Akasaka district and will feature robot waiters controlled remotely by people with physical disabilities at home. This aims to support the employment of those whose disability would restrict them from physical work otherwise; such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a type of motor neuron disease.
1.2 meters tall and weighing 20 kilograms, the robot waiters are capable of transmitting audio and video footage via an internet connection, enabling controllers to direct them through the use of tablets or computers, from home.
Ory Lab’s chief executive officer, Kentaro Yoshifuji designed the robots and interface to allow those who cannot physically go to work to contribute to society.
“I want to create a world in which people who can’t move their bodies can work too,” said Yoshifuji, who himself suffered a debilitating illness as a child causing him difficulty communicating.
Smaller robots 21.5cm tall and 600 grams have already been introduced to around 70 companies for telecommuting purposes. The OriHime robots are also suitable for use for employees and students who require remote educational resources.
Ory Lab is planning more permanent cafes using OriHime's line of robots for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.
“Everyone should have the freedom to work in the way they like. I want to send out the message toward 2020 that you can show hospitality even if you have disabilities,” said Masatane Muto, a project organiser with ASL.
