Covid-19 lockdown marks upturn for robots as they take over jobs humans normally do, from serving food to stacking shelves to helping us feel less lonely

In Japan, avatar robots are used by remote agents to show buyers around houses, and a rental service hires out companion robots to stop people feeling lonely

Aibo, a robotic dog developed by Sony, can be rented for a week for US$142; meanwhile, the human-sized Model-T restocks drink shelves at a FamilyMart in Tokyo

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Yuko Miyazawa, the CEO of robot and technology solutions company Seikatsu Kakumei, foresees a rise in robotic help in the post-coronavirus world. Photo: courtesy of Seikatsu Kakumei

Published: 8:45pm, 20 Sep 2020Updated: 8:45pm, 20 Sep 2020

The coronavirus pandemic has forced society to reshape how people interact, and robots are fast filling the void, even to the point of helping alleviate feelings of loneliness in a socially distant world.

While automata were primarily used to perform menial tasks such as cleaning in the past, their ability to remove the need for close contact has now elevated their status and importance.

In February, Japanese robot and technology solutions company Seikatsu Kakumei began selling what it dubbed a “digital teleportation robot” package to help businesses carry out customer-facing activities during the pandemic.

By helping shops, showrooms, conventions and trade exhibitions handle visitors, robots “can bring people closer to the normal state of communication”, said chief executive Yuko Miyazawa. “Being holed up in a room is unnatural for human beings,” he added.

Aqurahome has stationed Seikatsu Kakumei avatar robots at 17 model houses across Japan. Photo: courtesy of Seikatsu Kakumei

The service, which quickly became one of the company’s most popular products, provides remote-controlled avatar robots to replace staff. The operator’s face is shown in real-time on a tablet screen at the top of the robot, which can be navigated to lead customers to product displays.

“People come because they want to see the actual product,” Miyazawa said. “If that value is lost, then there’s no difference to just shopping online.”