The Orihime Avatar Cafe Dawn, also known as the Dawn Cafe, is located in the center of Tokyo and is famous for being staffed by five robot avatars. The robots provide vital social interactions and part-time work for almost 60 human workers, many of whom have disabilities that prevent them from finding gainful employment elsewhere. The workers are hired by the Dawn Cafe and work remotely from their homes all over Japan to interact with customers and brighten their day. The mission of Ori Lab, the company behind the cafe, is to eradicate loneliness through the use of technology.
When you arrive at the Dawn Cafe, the first thing you'll notice is that all the cafe servers are Orihime robots. The robots are equipped with decent eye-tracking technology, PC and smartphone input, and feel like you're actually in a Sci-Fi restaurant. Once you enter the restaurant, you will immediately be welcomed by a robot that invites you to sit down and hovers nearby to take your order. The robots are able to communicate with customers through speech and offer phrases like "Konichiwa, welcome to Japan" or "Please take your drinks one by one from the tray".
Customers can observe that the robots are initially shy and reserved, but as they get used to people they begin to act more natural and full of life. If you're interested in figuring out the faces behind the motherboard, you can take a look at the iPads beside the robot to get to know them better. The Dawn Cafe is truly a place that works to put a smile on everybody's face and it is a must-visit when you're in
The Dawn Cafe is also equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including eye-tracking and PC and smartphone input, which makes the experience feel like something out of a Sci-Fi movie. The robots are able to communicate with customers through speech and offer phrases like "Konichiwa, welcome to Japan" or "Please take your drinks one by one from the tray."
The Dawn Cafe is not only a place to enjoy a good cup of coffee, but also an opportunity to experience new technology and a social experiment that seeks to improve the lives of people with disabilities. The cafe is a great way to witness the potential of robots and technology to make a positive impact on society.
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