An aging population is a problem in the job market. The pandemic has only added to the pile of problems. As a result, Japan has decided to introduce two-foot robots into stores. They will be used by grocery store chains FamilyMart and Lawson. How will this idea work out?
The labor shortage in Japan is particularly acute. A third of Japan’s population is over the age of 65, so new workers are hard to come by. Large grocery store chains have begun using the services of robots. The Lawson chain introduced robotization to its Tokyo store back in September. FamilyMart has also tried it and intends to cover 20 of its outlets with it by the end of 2020.
In the case of both chains, it is the same model – Model-T designed by a Japanese startup called Telexistence. The device is quite big: it is over two meters high and moves thanks to a platform on wheels. It has built-in microphones, cameras and sensors. It has been adapted to unload goods and put them on the shelves in the store without any problems. It is controlled by store personnel in a virtual reality (VR) model. The Covid-19 pandemic is predicted to contribute to the acceleration of robotization in stores.
