OSAKA (ANN/JAPAN NEWS) – In an innovative step toward a more accessible future, visitors who cannot attend the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo will have the chance to explore it through remote-controlled human-sized robots.
A team from the Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR) has developed these “avatars,” allowing people outside the venue to join in virtually and explore the “Future of Life” pavilion, created by Osaka University’s Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro, a leading figure in android research.
Approximately 40 robots, including androids, will be available in the pavilion, with several controlled by online participants as avatars. Using a custom system, online users can direct the robots via computer, allowing them to navigate the pavilion, view displays through a camera mounted on the robot’s chest, and experience the expo remotely.
Initially designed for individuals unable to leave their homes due to disabilities or health issues, robot avatars have been previously used to enable virtual attendance at school, customer service roles, and social events. The Osaka Expo application represents a larger-scale experiment in integrating robots with human society.
The ATR team, with expertise in wireless technology, has successfully enabled around 100 robots to move simultaneously under remote commands, marking a historic first in the use of robot avatars at an expo event.
“Through robot avatars, we aim to create a barrier-free experience, allowing those unable to visit in person to also enjoy the expo,” said Shogo Nishimura, ATR senior researcher and specialist in human-robot interaction.
