Osaka Metro tests AI-powered 'humanoid station attendant' in 60 languages
OSAKA -- An AI-powered "humanoid station attendant" appeared at Umeda Station on Osaka Metro's Midosuji Line on Aug. 31, undertaking tasks such as pro
On August 31, Osaka Metro introduced an AI-powered humanoid station attendant at Umeda Station on their Midosuji Line. This innovative robot, capable of conversing in approximately 60 languages, including English and Chinese, is designed to assist passengers by providing transfer routes, sightseeing information, and other relevant details in response to their inquiries.
Developed by AVITA Inc. and operated in collaboration with KDDI Corp. and Hiroshi Ishiguro, the robot's facial expressions are remarkably lifelike, eliciting surprise and curiosity from users. Mako Akieda, a mother of three, marveled at the robot's realistic appearance and expressed its potential convenience for tasks such as asking about nursing rooms or station elevators.
Sumiko Miyagawa, a homemaker, found the experience enjoyable, reminiscing about her previous visits to the Osaka Expo, where similar humanoids were displayed. Tadahiro Ogushi, head of Osaka Metro's MaaS strategy division, expressed optimism about the robot's potential to alleviate labor shortages by allowing human staff to focus on critical tasks like safety checks.
The robot is stationed at Umeda Station until September 6 and will also be tested at Tanimachi 9-chome Station from September 9 to 15.
Written by urgent.news from The Mainichi's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
