Toyota will present its vision for the future of mobility at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show, where three very different new concept cars will be revealed. Toyota will also introduce Kirobo Mini, a robotic communication partner always at the customer’s side. Kirobo Mini is a new compact-sized communication partner with the same heart that won the robot astronaut Kirobo legions of fans. While its form may differ from that of the ultimate companion (the automobile), Kirobo Mini is created to be able to accompany its owners everywhere and communicate with him in a meaningful way.
Toyota’s aim is for Kirobo Mini to communicate with people through expressions and gestures, bringing smiles to their faces through daily exchanges that chart the course of an evolving relationship. Kirobo Mini weighs 200 g and speaks Japanese language.
Toyota Heart is a unique project that explores the development of meaningful communication between humans and robots. A related joint project with Dentsu, University of Tokyo Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, and Robo Garage resulted in the development of Kirobo, a communication robot.
