Dawn is an inspirational marriage of technology and humanity.
#SciFi meets reality for the disabled. Dawn 2020!
Called Dawn ver.β, it’s staffed entirely with robot waiters. While these days that’s hardly something new, these aren’t mere robots.
Developed by Ory, a startup that specializes in robotics for disabled people, the OriHime-D is a 120 cm (4-foot) tall robot that can be operated remotely from a paralyzed person’s home. Even if the operator only has control of their eyes, they can command OriHime-D to move, look around, speak with people, and handle objects.
However, as the “beta” in its name suggests, this is a limited run and will only remain open until 7 December.
During this time a staff of ten people, with conditions such as ALS or spinal cord injuries and working from home, are paid 1,000 yen (US$8.80) an hour (a standard wage for part-time work in Japan) to serve up coffee and interact with the clientele. But more importantly than money, these people are also given a newfound independence.
Prior to the cafe’s opening, a crowdfunding drive was held on Japanese site Makuake where it more than doubled its goal of 1.5 million yen ($13,000). If the support continues to come in, it is hoped that a full-fledged Dawn will open in 2020.
This video shows how an ALS patient, unable to speak, can use his eyes to type messages that can then be spoken by the OriHime-D robot.
Promo video