Orysnack - Robot servers
Orysnack is a bar where the “Mama” and serving robots are controlled by people working at home. It opened in August 2026 in Nihonbashi.
Why was this system created?
About 100 people have registered to operate the robots at this bar. The bar’s goal is to provide jobs for people who have difficulty traveling to work (e.g. people with disabilities, pregnant women, people caring for a family member).
There are 3 types of avatar robots.
1) the Mama San - who will entertain people at the bar
2) table robots - who will explain the menu and help customers order things
3) serving robots - who bring drinks to the table
The ¥8,800 price includes a 60-minute customer service session:
Tasting of 4 kinds of Japanese sake
3 types of snacks
the ability to talk to 6 operators who work each shift
Video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DcfSCv_TZhv/
Would you like to visit this bar?
Do you think this will be a successful business? Who is the main target?
GDO1 by Unitree
What do you think this robot is for?
Unitree, a Chinese robot maker, has announced their mecha, GDO1 which is designed for walking on uneven ground. It can switch to walking on 4 legs to travel under low ceilings or if the ground is very unstable… however the pilot will look up on the sky when this happens.
Mecha = a robot that a person can ride inside and control.
Price: $650,000 (1 billion yen)
Weight: 500 kg
Height: 2.7 metres
In the demonstration, we can see it smashing walls but at the moment the company hasn’t announced the main use of this robot
We don’t know the battery life, if it can carry things, and if it can go up and down stairs.
The company says it welcomes suggestions from the public on how to improve the robot.
Do you have any suggestions?
MAUL ground drone
What do you think this ground drone does?
These drones are being used in Ukraine to fight the war against Russia.
MAUL is an evacuation drone that costs $33,000 to make. It collects injured soldiers and brings them to safer areas.
Can you think of any pros and cons of using this drone?
Upsides:
It can travel up to 70km/h
The armor protects the injured soldier from explosions and drone attacks
It can also be used to transport supplies and ammunition
ammunition (ammo): bullets, bombsUsually it takes 4 soldiers or medical personnel to evacuate an injured soldier but this drone can try evacuating soldiers without risking human lives.
Downsides:
The passenger receives no treatment during the trip
The injured soldier must be able to climb onto the drone by himself
Russians try to jam the signal so sometimes the drone will stop moving suddenly.
The injured passenger won’t receive any protection from other soldiers if the drone stops
It only has a 52% success rate in “high-risk kill zones” but human medics would never be sent into those areas.
Poketomo - by Sharp
Poketomo is 12 cm tall and looks like a meerkat.
What do you think this robot does?
This friend-robot was designed to “stay by your side and lift your spirits.”
lift your spirits = cheer you up
It can have conversations with you to chat about your day and feelings. It will remember the conversations to continue them in the future.
Price: 39,600 yen ($270) with a 495yen monthly subscription
Battery life: around 24 hours
It can…
remember past conversations to continue them and learn more about the owner
take photos
recognize people it met before and say: “Nice to see you again”
talk to other poketomo robots
It can also continue conversations through an app if you want to leave it at home
Who is the target?
They are trying to target:
young people from teens to 30’s.
ぬい活 fans. What is nuikatsu?
Do you think these robots will be popular?
Released in December of 2025, over 10,000 units have been sold. Sharp considers it a success so are developing a “version 2” now.
Have you heard of any other new robots?