Toyota’s robot revolution

The first fruits of this labour appeared in 2005, when the first of these advanced machines arrived on the scene: Humanoid, i-foot and – two years later – Robina.

With the ability to move and coordinate its whole body, Humanoid could walk, use tools and famously play the trumpet (thanks to fully functioning fingers and lips) and, latterly, the violin. The shell-like cabin of i-foot offered free and easy mobility – that was fun to ride in – for the elderly. While in 2007, Robina could think for herself, carry objects and even hold a conversation. It’s even hoped that one day in the future she could become a ‘partner’ to our doctors and nurses.

Since 2011, new members of our Partner Robot family have been introduced to help in nursing and healthcare, domestic duties and short-distance personal transport.

In 2013, the Toyota Heart Project was announced under the theme “Inspiring the heart, inspiring you”. The aim of the new communication project was to conduct research into artificial research that inspired and built rapport with people, engaged in emotional communication – including expressions, gestures and memories – and displayed feelings, fondness and trust.

As part of the project, later that year we revealed voice recognition technology and natural language processing for Kirobo, a robot astronaut that was part of the Kibo Robot Project, a joint research project between four companies.

Robot Kirobo spent 18 months on the International Space Station where it made history by becoming the first robot to speak in space: “On 21 August 2013, a robot took one small step towards a brighter future for all”, it said, later successfully completing the world’s first space-based conversation with JAXA astronaut Koichi Wakata.

At the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show, we took the concept of Kirobo one step further – and smaller – with Kirobo Mini. Sitting 100mm tall, the warm-hearted little ‘communication partner’ was created to accompany owners in their daily lives, offer companionship and interact in a meaningful way.

When an owner begins to speak, the little companion turns his head towards them and engages in casual conversation, naturally moving its head and hands as it does so. Understanding what’s being said, as well as interpreting facial expressions, Kirobo Mini can respond to emotions and even remember its user’s likes, dislikes and past events. The lucky owners can take their new friend home in 2017, from selected Japanese dealerships.

As part of our belief that the freedom of movement should be enjoyed by everyone, in 2016 we introduced a wearable device for the blind and visually impaired called Project Blaid that helps users experience more of the world that simply cannot be provided by canes, dogs and GPS devices.

The horseshoe-shaped device, fitted with onboard cameras, sits around a user’s shoulders and detects objects such as signage, escalators, stairs and shop front logos around them. Voice recognition, buttons, speakers and vibration are utilised to interact with the user, while Bluetooth® technology allows the pairing of a smartphone for additional functionality. Even at the start of its journey, the Project Blaid concept offers an exciting glimpse at a future for the blind and visually impaired.