Japan's fashion giant Yusaku Maezawa announces his interest in a 'lover robot' that accompanies him in life. The search for his partner made it to the headlines two years before his trip to the International Space Station.
During the time, Maezawa expressed his interest in finding team members and a life partner to go up with him in space, particularly on the moon. However, the entrepreneur's emptiness seemed to have vanished as he called the quest off weeks after the announcement.
Today, Maezawa showed his interest in the search for love once more. According to a report by CNN, the businessman's heart was not filled with a human but a robot.
Yusaku Maezawa Acquires 'Lovot' Developer Groove X
TOPSHOT - Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa waves before boarding the Soyuz MS-20 spacecraft before the launch at the Baikonur cosmodrome on December 8, 2021. - Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa and his assistant Yozo Hirano, led by Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin, will blast off to the International Space Station (ISS) onboard the Soyuz MS-20 spacecraft from the Russia-leased Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 0738 GMT.
Zozotown boss and Japan's top billionaire Yusaku Maezawa announced in March that he is willing to put his odds to the robotics industry.
Reports say that Maezawa aims to put a large chunk of investment into the Japanese robotic startup Groove X. The firm is famous for its development of the machine known as Lovot. Although the name of the product was seemingly inspired by the combination of 'love' and 'robot,' the company did not disclose the origin of its name.+
Lovot is a little machine that can respond to real-world human interaction. The robot's architecture consists of over 50 sensors that help it read and process the stimuli from people. In addition, a thermal camera is equipped to Lovot for it to see the immediate environment.
Lovot has a wheel that makes it move across a limited vicinity. Its face is a digital screen that contains its eyes, allowing a more-realistic engagement with its users and other people.
Lovot was developed to give emotional support to a human. According to the firm's portal, the pet-sized companion is specialized for pediatric and nursing facilities.
Groove X said that through the use of Lovot, many people achieved emotional satisfaction despite the lack of socialization and limiting lifestyle during the pandemic.
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Emotional Support by Robots
Lovot's program is embedded with a machine learning system that enables it to curate its responses based on a person's emotional state. The machine is exclusively available in Japan. Its price ranges from $2,825, with an additional $80 for a monthly service fee.
Groove X was founded by ex-SoftBank expert Kaname Hayashi back in 2015. The CEO was responsible for the creation of the famous humanoid named Pepper. In 2019, the firm launched Lovot to the market. The project was made possible through the assistance of the Japanese government.
Maezawa explained that Lovot provided help to him, and the effect was beyond expected. In a statement, the billionaire said that the robot offers happiness, especially during the pandemic, although its skillset is still limited.
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan said that the Maezawa Fund's acquisition of Groove X is a huge step towards awareness of mental health and the COVID-19 pandemic and proved its functions in children's schools and nursing homes.
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