Kawasaki Heavy Industries is developing Home LEO, an AI-equipped dog-shaped care robot, and is conducting trial operations with functions for monitoring users' health at home and coordinating with family members and caregivers. Sales are reportedly targeted to begin in fiscal 2028, with the design described as intended to support users' daily lives.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries is developing Home LEO, an AI-equipped dog-shaped care robot. It can monitor users' health at home, detect accident and security risks, and share information with family members and caregivers. The company said it is considering a pricing structure for individual users while advancing trial operations.
According to the company, the robot is designed as “a smartphone that walks,” and is intended to strengthen support for independent living at home by climbing and descending stairs, opening and closing doors, and learning users' habits through conversation. Sales are targeted to begin in fiscal 2028.
An estimate also indicated that delaying admission to a care facility by one year could potentially reduce combined annual costs for the government and individuals by approximately ¥1 trillion. Promoting long-term living at home could help contain medical and long-term care costs.
The initiative is positioned as a measure to contain care costs in Japan, where the population is ageing, and the company is reportedly placing emphasis on user-friendly design and emotional reassurance.