Society

Multilingual robots unveiled in Tokyo

Nov 10 (NHK) - Multilingual robot concierges have been unveiled in Tokyo prior to trials that will gauge their ability to welcome visitors to the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics.

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike attended an unveiling ceremony at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government headquarters on Thursday.

The metropolitan government plans to start testing 5 different types of robots from next Monday. They can communicate in several languages, including Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean.

At Thursday's event, Governor Koike asked one of the robots how tall the government main office building is. It gave the correct answer -- 243 meters.

Koike also tested the robot's language ability by asking in English what the UNESCO world heritage site in Tokyo is. Cheers erupted from the audience as the robot replied that it is the Ogasawara Islands.

Koike said the metropolitan government has decided to seek the robots' assistance in welcoming foreign visitors.

She added that her government will continue to promote and conduct pilot programs with advanced technologies.

The trial will run through late February of next year. The metropolitan government hopes that the robots will be ready for work in time for the 2020 Games.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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