Japan has never failed to amaze us in terms of new technology especially in the field of robotics. This time, a Robotics company called OryLab Inc., with the goal to help persons with disabilities become employed and become part of society, created a project called Robot Cafe Dawn Version Beta 2.0.
The company set up a pop-up restaurant where servers are robots. These robots are being controlled remotely by patients with ALS and SMA patients. These people who control the robots remotely are called pilots.
ALS and SMA Patients
ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a disease that causes the death of neurons controlling voluntary muscles while SMA (superior mesenteric artery syndrome) is a rare digestive system disorder. These patients are bedridden and unable to go out to work.
In order to put their skills to use, the CEO of OryLab Inc. paved a way to enable these people who cannot leave their homes due to their disability to become a useful part of the community.
Robot Cafe Dawn Version Beta 2.0
This Robot cafe is more than just a gimmick but is driven by a bigger goal to include patients who are bedridden to participate in society again.
The cafe is situated in Tokyo‘s Nihonbashi district which was launched last June, 2021.
Around 20 robots controlled by pilots serve as waiters in the cafe. The robots are called OriHime which have cameras, a microphone, and a speaker to allow operators to communicate with customers remotely. Even the barista is a robot in the cafe! The customers can freely talk to the robot controlled by pilots.
Reference: https://wp.foodbeast.com/news/tag/robot-cafe-dawn-version-beta-2-0/
