Tokyo-based pop-up cafe Dawn ver.β uses advanced robotic technology to empower paralysed people. The cafe is staffed entirely by robots, who are controlled remotely by individuals with paralysis.
The OriHime-D robot, developed by Japanese startup Ory, is a 120cm (4-foot) tall robot that can be controlled remotely, even by operators who only have control of their eyes. Using eye movements and by focusing on specific areas of a screen, operators can command the robots to move, look around, handle objects, and even speak with people at the cafe.
The staff of ten operators have a range of conditions including ALS and spinal cord injuries. Working from home, they are paid 1,000 yen (US$ 8.80) an hour to serve up coffee and interact with the cafe customers, giving them a newfound independence.
The space is designed to resemble the cafe in 2008 sci-fi anime series Time of Eve, which is contributing to the project, alongside the NPO Nippon Foundation, the Avatar Robotic Consultative Association (ARCA), and airline ANA. The anime series tells the story of humans and androids treating each other as equals while meeting inside a unique cafe. Dawn stands for Diverse Avatar Working Network.
Dawn ver.β was a two-week pop-up in late November and early December, but the organiser hopes to open a permanent site in 2020 with the help of crowdfunding website Makuake, where it more than doubled its goal of 1.5 million yen (US$ 13,000) for the trial.
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