Hamaura talking with communication robot Charlie in her apartment in Tokyo. Smart home assistants like Amazon’s Alexa have found success worldwide, but tech firms in Japan are reporting huge demand for more humanlike alternatives, as people seek solace during virus isolation. — AFP
TOKYO: Nami Hamaura says she feels less lonely working from home thanks to her singing companion Charlie, one of a new generation of cute and clever Japanese robots whose sales are booming in the pandemic.
Smart home assistants such as Amazon’s Alexa have found success worldwide, but tech firms in Japan are reporting huge demand for more humanlike alternatives, as people seek solace during coronavirus isolation.
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Hamaura talking with communication robot Charlie in her apartment in Tokyo. Smart home assistants like Amazon’s Alexa have found success worldwide, but tech firms in Japan are reporting huge demand for more humanlike alternatives, as people seek solace during virus isolation. — AFP
Hamaura posing for a photo with Charlie in her apartment in Tokyo. — AFP
Diners interacting with robots Lovot in a cafe in Kawasaki. — AFP
A diner holding a Lovot robot in a cafe in Kawasaki. — AFP
Robot Charlie in Hamaura's apartment in Tokyo. — AFP
Hamaura talking with communication robot Charlie in her apartment in Tokyo. She is a pre-launch test customer for Charlie, which Yamaha plans to release later this year. — AFP
Charlie, a mug-sized robot with a round head, red nose and flashing bow-tie, converses with its owner in song. — AFP
Charlie and Robohon are part of a new wave of robot companions pioneered by firms such as Sony with its robot dog Aibo, on sale since 1999, and SoftBank’s friendly Pepper, which hit shelves in 2015. — AFP
A robot Lovot is pictured in a cafe in Kawasaki. The makers of Lovot – a robot the size of a small toddler, with big round eyes and penguin-like wings that flutter up and down – think everyone can benefit from a bot that just wants to be loved. — AFP
Robots Bocco emo (front & middle) and Bocco (back) are pictured in a studio in Tokyo. — AFP
Aoki, CEO of Yukai Engineering, talking with the robot Bocco emo in a studio in Tokyo. — AFP
Robotic cushions Qoobo (front) and petit Qoobo (back) are fluffy pillows with a mechanical tail that wiggles like a real pet. — AFP
A robot Bocco is pictured in a studio in Tokyo. — AFP
Akito Takahashi (right) and his mother Kaori Takahashi (left) playing with a handmade robot kit at their apartment in Tokyo. — AFP
Akito Takahashi playing with a handmade robot kit at his apartment in Tokyo. — AFP
Robotic cushion petit Qoobo (left) and robot Bocco emo (right) in a studio in Tokyo. — AFP
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