Kawasaki Develops Prototype of "Home LEO," a Social Robot for the Healthcare Sector ～Leveraging Physical AI to Support Elderly Living at Home, Helping Address the Challenges of an Aging Society～

Kawasaki Heavy Industries has completed a prototype of "Home LEO*¹," a social robot for the healthcare sector. Home LEO is a robot designed to support elderly people living at home. Leveraging physical AI, it recognizes its surroundings, makes appropriate decisions according to the situation, and acts autonomously.

Home LEO stays close to the elderly it lives with, offering companionship through conversation, watching over them, and assisting with daily activities. It also continuously collects data on their personal preferences and daily living, including food, clothing, and housing, and uses this information in everyday interactions. By sharing such data and coordinating with medical institutions, nursing care facilities, and other relevant organizations as needed, Home LEO aims to help the elderly receive appropriate support and extend the period during which they can continue living safely and securely in familiar surroundings.

Japan's healthcare industry currently faces major challenges arising from continued population decline driven by a falling birthrate and the advance of an aging society. Regional disparities in medical and nursing care, chronic shortages of healthcare professionals and care workers, and rising social security costs are creating a serious situation that individual medical institutions and nursing care facilities cannot resolve through their own improvement efforts. In light of these social changes, it is necessary to extend the period during which the elderly can live safely and with peace of mind in their own homes by providing new solutions that connect medical care, nursing care, and the home. Longer periods of living at home increase elderly people's engagement in social activities and improve their quality of life (QOL), while also helping to curb social security spending on medical and nursing care.

Through Home LEO, a new social robot, we aim not only to help curb Japan’s social security expenditures, but also to reduce the psychological and physical burdens on the elderly and their families, while realizing a society in which the elderly can live the lives they desire.
Going forward, we will conduct a series of demonstration trials in collaboration with government bodies—including the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and local governments—as well as medical and nursing care institutions and AI technology companies, with the aim of launching Home LEO in fiscal 2028.

To date, Kawasaki has been expanding its healthcare solutions for medical institutions and nursing care facilities by leveraging the Kawasaki Heavy Industries Group's healthcare offerings, including the surgical robot system "hinotori™*²," the indoor delivery robot "FORRO," the semi-humanoid robot "Nyokkey," and the indoor/outdoor location information service "mapxus Driven by Kawasaki™." With the addition of Home LEO, which supports elderly people living at home, the Group's solutions will now extend beyond medical institutions and nursing care facilities into the home. By providing one-stop solutions that broadly support the healthcare sector in this way, Kawasaki will contribute to solving the various social issues that accompany an aging society.

<Main Features>
(including functions scheduled for implementation in future development)

１）Communication Tailored to Each Individual
Through daily conversations and watching over users, Home LEO gathers and understands each person's lifestyle habits and preferences. By communicating in ways tailored to each user over time, it stays close to the elderly in their everyday lives.

２）Supporting a Safe and Secure Life at Home
Home LEO watches over daily life, noticing various unusual situations such as falls, such as falls, changes in physical condition, fire hazards left unattended, and visitors at the door. It prompts the user directly while also coordinating with family members and care professionals, helping to ensure a safe and secure life at home.

３）Autonomous Daily Life Support Powered by Physical AI
By combining AI with the robotics technologies Kawasaki has cultivated over many years, Home LEO recognizes users and its surroundings and moves and acts autonomously. It proactively assists with tasks such as getting around the home and finding and handing over items, reducing the burden and effort of daily life and supporting the elderly in living independently.

４）Healthcare Platform Connecting Medical Care, Nursing Care, and the Home
Over a secure communication environment, Home LEO securely records everyday data such as conversations, daily routines, and general wellness information. With the user's consent and under appropriate information management, this care data is shared with and coordinated among medical institutions and nursing care facilities, linking hospitals, nursing care, and the home to help deliver seamless care.

Kawasaki will continue to develop and provide healthcare solutions that stay close to each individual, working toward a society in which everyone can continue to live safely, securely, and true to themselves.

Reference: Prototype Dimensions*As this is a prototype, dimensions are subject to change.

Length 640 mm × Height 675 mm × Width 390 mm (Height when kneeling: 830 mm)

*Product information (including products under development) contained in this press release is provided for the purpose of disclosing corporate information and is not intended to advertise or promote medical devices.