Yukai Engineering Unveils BOCCO emo, the Nurse-Assisting Robot, at CES 2021

Today during the Showstoppers Media event for CES 2021, Yukai Engineering Inc., a Tokyo-based robotics startup, unveiled its newly developed patient care system that uses BOCCO emo, the communication robot that reads between the lines. Powered by Seaman Artificial Intelligence Research Center’s conversation-generating engine, the robot is capable of understanding the user’s speech and feelings. It then responds accordingly by using its own “emo language” consisting of special sound effects, facial expressions and gestures.

Examples of how BOCCO emo may initiate a conversation with a patient:

  • “Good morning! Did you sleep well?”
  • “Hang on tight! Your nurse is on the way!”
  • “It’s getting hotter, isn’t it? Are you comfortable?”
  • “The rehabilitation session is coming up at noon!”

Timely for the current pandemic, BOCCO emo serves as a nurse’s extra set of eyes and ears to monitor changes in patients, both physical and emotional. Now being piloted at a hospital in Japan, the robot is also used to attend patients in private rooms to keep them from being isolated, while helping nurses monitor the room environment (e.g., temperature) via sensors and update their families on their conditions.

Also, for CES 2021, Yukai will demonstrate Petit Qoobo, a new “companion” of its wildly popular tail-wagging therapy pillow, Qoobo. Designed as a pet alternative that provides comfort to its users anywhere, Petit Qoobo comes in a compact size that fits in a purse. It wags its tail in reaction to the user’s caressing and to the surrounding natural soundscape, be it the sound of clapping, or one’s breathing.

In addition, the company will showcase its “create-a-critter robot kit,” designed to inspire children’s imaginations to create an infinite number of robots using the materials contained in the educational kit. Developed by Yukai for use in Japans’ public broadcasting organization, NHK’s “Elementary Kids RoboCon,” the create-a-critter educational robot kit features easy-to-handle components, such as switches, so young children can understand how robots are made.

To learn more about BOCCO emo please visit: https://www.bocco.me/. To learn more about Qoobo please visit: https://qoobo.info/index-en/. To learn more about create-a-critter robot kit please visit: https://kurikit.ux-xu.com/robotkit/.

To learn more about Yukai products please visit: https://www.ux-xu.com/.

Source: Yukai, CES, Showstoppers