Robots step in to ease Japan’s nursery staff shortages
ROBOTS designed to look after children are being introduced in Japanese nurseries in an attempt to ease the nation’s shortage of childcare staff.
Global Bridge Holdings, a Tokyobased childcare and nursing start-up, has collaborated with Gunma University academics to develop robots and sensors to monitor children.
Vevo, a robot complete with bearshaped head and humanoid body, is able to recognise and greet children as well as record their body temperatures. A separate sensor system can monitor heart rates and movement of children as they sleep, and can raise the alarm if there are problems.
The robot is being trialled at a Tokyo nursery with plans to introduce a second one next month.
If successful, the company will begin selling the robot system to nurseries for £28,000 next year.
Japan’s childcare industry is suffering nursery staff shortages because of long working hours and low pay. The demand for childcare far outstrips availability, with many mothers unable to return to work after having children because they cannot get a placement in the public childcare system.
More than 26,000 children are on waiting lists for day care facilities, a 10 per cent rise over last year, according to the country’s welfare ministry.
Yuji Takashima, a spokesperson for the company behind the project, said: “We believe that by supporting childcare education with this robot, we can contribute to resolving the shortage of nursery teacher and improving the quality of education.”
Robots are increasingly being used in Japan to cover labour shortages. They are already replacing humans in hotels and insurance offices and a raft of industries in Japan are hoping to follow suit and embrace the technology to ease staff shortages and cut costs.