TOKYO - Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. said Tuesday it will launch a dog-shaped social robot in fiscal 2028 in an effort to ease the burden of caring for elderly people amid a labor shortage.
Home Leo will walk on four legs and be able to converse with people using onboard artificial intelligence and "make appropriate decisions according to the situation," the company said.
Citing continued population decline and shortages of healthcare professionals and care workers, Kawasaki Heavy said solutions are needed to ensure elderly people can "live safely and with peace of mind in their own homes."
In addition to providing psychological support through conversation, Home Leo will be able to assist users in moving around the home and locating and retrieving items.
Kawasaki Heavy said it has completed a prototype and will collaborate with government bodies to conduct demonstration trials.
The company also unveiled a four-legged prototype robot that attaches magnetically to the underside of vessels to weld their hulls.
The robot replicates the movements of a skilled technician and was developed to help reduce labor requirements at shipbuilding sites.
Kawasaki Heavy will begin using the robot within a few years and is considering selling it to other companies.
