At a laboratory of a Japanese university in Tokyo, a human sized robot leaned over a man lying on his back, gently put one hand on his knee and the other on his shoulder and rolled him slowly onto his side.

Such ordinary manoeuver is designed for an artificial intelligence (AI) driven humanoid robot called AIREC to carry out tasks such as changing diapers or preventing bedsore for elderly who need critical care.

A dwindling working-age population is causing a severe shortage of care workers in Japan, the world's most advanced aging nation except Monaco.

Over the next decade, the number of people in the 15-64 age bracket is projected to fall 9.3%, according to the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, prompting the country, which has restrictive immigration policies, to turn its eyes to robots for a solution.

Weighing 150 kilograms and approximately 154 centimeters (60.6 inches) tall, AIREC is being developed by a team of researchers at Waseda University. The project is funded by a government program designed to foster disruptive innovation to resolve difficult societal issues.

“As we are entering into a super-aging society, and the birthrate is declining, we will be needing robots’ support in providing medical and elderly care and in our daily life. Unfortunately, the current robot technologies are still on a premature stage when it comes to interacting with people and supporting them. The ultimate goal of our project is to somehow achieve that,” said Professor Shigeki Sugano, the leading researcher of the project and the president of the Japan Robotics Society.

The number of babies born in Japan fell for a ninth consecutive year to a record low of 720,988 in 2024, government data showed on Thursday (February 27).

Although researchers worldwide are pursuing development of humanoid robots, AIREC's ability to make physical contact with people safely and adjust its actions in response to spontaneous human moves makes it special, he said.

“Once humans are in the picture, issues like safety and how to coordinate robots' moves with each individual will spring up. It’s a very difficult technology. It’s not just about creating a humanoid robot and then simply installing AI into it. It’s about research in how the hardware and AI technology can work together to grasp human skills and understand people better. Research in this area have barely made any progress worldwide,” said Sugano.

AIREC is already capable of such tasks as helping a person sit up or put on socks, as well as cooking scrambled eggs, folding the laundry and some other jobs around the house.

Sugano envisages AIREC starting to be put into actual use in various occasions by 2040 before becoming omnipresent by 2050.

“What I have in mind is developing a robot that can do anything by 2050. It will be able to conduct medical operations with doctors in hospitals. It will be able to work independently at a nursing care facility or work with human caregivers. We are depicting a society where robots and humans coexist ultimately,” he said.

Such a smart, versatile robot will likely cost no less than 10 million yen ($66,789) initially, with volume production bringing down the price sometime beyond 2040, he said.

At a care facility in Tokyo, which is equipped with various smart devices to help reduce caregivers’ burden, Yukiko Namekata, an 89-year-old resident, was trying to stretch her arms as a recreation robot was dancing on the table.

Asked about her view on the possibility of having a robot care worker, Namekata said, after a moment's pause, "Isn't it a little too early for that?"

A care worker at the same facility is cautiously optimistic about the use of robots.

“If such a robot were really created, I think it would be very helpful to us in the field. However, I’m a little bit worried that the warmth generated from human interaction between residents and caregivers, and the subtle communication such as reading the room and understanding the situation, might be difficult to replicate (when robots are providing care to people),” said Takaki Ito.

Takashi Miyamoto, the chief operating officer of elderly care facility operator Zenkoukai, said a chronic labour shortage in the elderly care sector will likely get only worse, and days when robots will work alongside human caregivers are certain to come.

“As long as proper assessments are made to ensure safety, there would be no reason not to use (robots). If such a robot really became possible, people might be reluctant at first, but eventually the time will come when we have to use it,” said Miyamoto.

(Production: Irene Wang)