Japanese City Lets Out ‘Alter Ego’ Robots For People With Social Anxiety
Image via Ory Laboratory
To make social interactions a lot less excruciating for people who deal with severe anxiety in those settings, the Kobe City government has announced that it would lend robotic alter egos to residents from December, making it the first city government in Japan to enlist robots for such tasks.
Originally designed by Ory Laboratory for the physically disabled or hospital patients, the nine-inch-tall ‘OriHime’ robots will now stand in for social recluses and communicate to others on their behalf. The androids can be controlled to navigate the outdoors via a smartphone app, while users can stay indoors, according to VICE.
Japan has grappled with a resurgence of hikikomori, people with extreme social withdrawal, since the 1990s, per the report. However, governments have been watching these groups even more closely, considering the psychological strain left by the COVID-19 pandemic. To address rising suicide numbers and mental health issues, Japan appointed its first Minister of Loneliness in February.
The city’s hikikomori will be able to rent the robots for free. In the leadup to their rollout, the government will work out a timetable to simplify the borrowing process.
Image via Ory Laboratory
The OriHime robot is miniature-sized for a purpose, according to Emiko Sakai, a director of the city’s hikikomori support center. Its compact nature makes it portable, allowing human staffers to easily lift and place it on a table to meet the eye level of whoever the user has to talk to.
Instead of channeling the user’s real voice, the robot would dictate text entered in the accompanying app. It also moves its arms about when communicating to make conversations less restrictive.
“We hope this helps hikikomori feel like they aren’t alone,” described Sakai.
[via VICE, images via Ory Laboratory]
Also check out these recent news
