thousands of robots with a cat’s face
Japan is turning its services with thousands of cat -looking robots that transport dishes and glasses in more than 2,000 restaurants. It is not something that we have not seen in certain Spanish restaurants, but In Japan it is being much more accentuated in capillarity and capabilities of these robots. It is a country’s response to a perfect demographic storm: its population is aged and is getting more and more, and has a serious shortage of labor. Why is it important. These robots do not replace humans completely, but work together with them, allowing older or foreign people – immigration is key to covering work scarcity – can do work that would otherwise be too demanding at physical or linguistic level. Skylark Holdings, the largest restaurant chain with Japan table service, has deployed about 3,000 robots-gate Equipped with 3D sensors, dozens of facial expressions and ability to transport heavy dishes. In figures. The service robot market in Japan will triple its value in the next five yearsreaching 400,000 million yen (2.7 billion dollars) in 2030. worldwide, the sector already moves 17.2 billion dollars annually. Japan has the lowest unemployment rate among OECD countries, 2.4%. By 2040 it will have a deficit of eleven million workers. Almost 40% of the Japanese population will be 65 years or older in 2065. In the hospitality sector, there are three vacancies for each job applicant. Between the lines. The robotic solution responds to a government strategy. The Japanese government is actively promoting the hiring of foreign workers and encouraging companies to retain employees over 65 years of age through subsidies. Skylark This transformation illustrates well: it uses more than 4,000 workers over 65 years (almost double that in 2020) and has increased its percentage of part -time part -time personnel up to 3.3% (compared to 2.6% in 2020). Yasuko Tagawa, 71, works twenty hours a week at a taste in Tokyo. “My work is no problem when I work with robots,” he explains while cleaning tables. Approximately half of their tasks are now performed with machine assistance. “At my age it becomes more difficult to move,” he acknowledges Bloomberg. Beyond the hospitality. The robotic revolution is not limited to restaurants. The careful care sector, which provides for a deficit of 570,000 caregivers by 2040, is quickly adopting these technologies. In the residence Flos Higashi-Kojiya de Tokyo, caregivers have been using automated devices for years To lift residents, monitor the behavior of people with dementia and facilitate communication. Sensors under mattresses record sleep, heart rate and breathing, showing real -time data that allow staff to supervise forty residents of a look. Yes, but. Despite their potential, service robots have limitations and initial investment can be prohibitive for some companies. They cannot completely replace human judgment or essential interpersonal skills in many works in the services sector. However, for Yasuko Tagawa, the future with his companions Robot-Gato is promising: “Perhaps they can also help in the kitchen,” he says while caressing one of the robots. “Thank you for your work. I will tell you.” In Xataka | Amira is the most disturbing MWC: an ultra -rear robot with synthetic skin that reacts to us Outstanding image | Gankilyuu