Sergey Diakov
⬤ Kawasaki Heavy Industries just took service robotics from cute companion to actual worker. Their Nyokkey wheeled humanoid is now operating in hospitals, care facilities, and public spaces across Japan. This isn't about entertainment anymore—the robot's handling real operational work like social support and daily facility tasks, showing how healthcare robotics is shifting toward practical deployment.
⬤ Nyokkey tackles the repetitive grind that needs 24/7 coverage: patrols, visitor guidance, meal delivery. Kawasaki kicked off development in 2021 when COVID hit and hospitals desperately needed autonomous patrol solutions that wouldn't take breaks or call in sick. By 2022, they'd launched Nyokkey as a social robot ready to handle these nonstop operational demands.
⬤ The robot's built with humanoid arms and an interactive screen showing emotional responses, making hospital interactions feel more natural. Standing 150 centimeters tall and weighing 75 kilograms, Nyokkey navigates independently using LiDAR to safely cruise through hospital corridors and public spaces without human guidance.
⬤ Here's where it gets interesting: Nyokkey runs on a compact hydrogen fuel cell developed with Toyota Boshoku. Instead of parking at charging stations all day, it just swaps low-pressure hydrogen tanks and keeps moving. That means longer operation stretches without downtime—exactly what healthcare environments need when continuous availability isn't optional.
Sergey Diakov
