Photo/Illutration The avatar robot OriHime (Provided by Mitsui Fudosan Co.)

Compact robots that can rest on human shoulders are guiding tourists around Tokyo, but their creator is touting a more altruistic purpose for this project.

The robots, called OriHime, are designed to be operated by humans from distant locations. This allows people who have difficulty going out on their own due to disabilities or illnesses to become “pilots” through personal computers or tablet devices.

The camera and microphone on the robot allow the human operators to interact with tour participants in real time. The pilots can not only check the tourists’ expressions and voice tones but also turn the avatars’ faces and hands as needed.

The robots each measure 23 centimeters in height and weigh 700 grams.

They are currently used for tours conducted in the Nihonbashi district of the capital’s Chuo Ward.

The specialized sightseeing package started on Sept. 11.

In one outing, an OriHime sat on the backpack of a tourist. Sharing the same eye level, the robot guide and participant engaged in lively conversations.

“The Nihonbashi bridge is the starting point of the five major routes,” the robot said. “You can experience what Japanese life is like at this shop.”

They spent about an hour walking around Fukutokujinja shrine, a long-established store and other landmarks in the area.

The android’s voice and directions were provided by a resident of Yokohama, close to Tokyo, who described herself only as Kotonoha.

An occasional wheelchair user, Kotonoha joined the program after exhaustively researching the history and geography of Nihonbashi.

“Working as a guide is fun because I can communicate with others,” she said.

OriHime was developed by OryLab Inc. based in Chuo Ward. It has used robots as wait staff at the Dawn Ver. Beta cafe in Nihonbashi since 2021.

Around 100 individuals with mobility difficulties have served customers at the cafe via remotely controlled humanoids.

“We will be contributing to creating a future where everyone can be included in society and become part of the community,” OryLab President Kentaro Yoshifuji said about the cafe’s purpose.

Initially, the OriHime robots were primarily used indoors at restaurants and stores. The guided sightseeing package aims to broaden the product’s potential.

Mitsui Fudosan Co., also based in Chuo Ward, which has been involved in development projects in Nihonbashi, is supporting the robot tour service.

OryLab also aims to cash in on English-speaking staff members of Dawn Ver. Beta who can cater to tourists from outside Japan.

OriHime pilots at the cafe daily handle a steady stream of inbound visitors speaking foreign languages.

“Promoting the appeal of Nihonbashi through a new tourism experience, we will devote ourselves to overcoming two social issues: creating employment opportunities for those who rarely go outdoors and responding to the rapidly growing number of inbound visitors,” Yoshifuji said.

The 90-minute guided tours are available on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The fee is 3,300 yen ($21) after tax per adult in groups of two or more people.

For reservations, visit the Dawn Ver. Beta cafe’s website in Japanese at (https://dawn2021.orylab.com/guide_tour/).

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