Progress Report
The Realization of an Avatar-Symbiotic Society where Everyone can Perform Active Roles without Constraint[7] Field experiments in the real world
Progress until FY2024
1. Outline of the project
We will develop a field experiment platform dedicated to Cybernetic Avatars (CAs), including a CA-specific communication environment, to enable pilot studies involving a combination of three types of industries: location providers, service providers, and CA developers. To prepare for large-scale, practical field experiments at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, as well as in Osaka and Tokyo, we will also produce semi-production models of CAs. By collaborating with other R&D items within the project and with multiple companies through a corporate consortium, we will carry out various real-world field experiments—particularly in the commercial sector—and promote the social implementation of CAs (Fig.1). As the core focus of our R&D item, we will prioritize field experiments in two key areas: mental health care for individuals with developmental disorders and depression, and social participation support for the elderly. These trials aim to clarify both the feasibility and challenges of implementing CAs in society.
2. Outcome so far
A Field Experiment in a Commercial Complex Using the CA-Dedicated Platform
We conducted a real-world field experiment, “Avatar Land,” featuring heterogeneous CA services in public and commercial facilities (Fig.2). A total of 47 CAs (23 stationary, 8 mobile, 16 CG-based) were deployed across two major commercial sites: JAM BASE in Osaka and WATERRAS in Tokyo. These CAs offered services such as guidance, navigation, security, and customer assistance, teleoperated from five locations in Japan: JAM BASE, WATERRAS, a Sakai City test site, Showa Gakuen in Tokyo, and Sanwa Central Hospital in Nagasaki. The experiment, conducted with R&D Items 1, 2, 4, 5, and 8 from September 10–29, 2024, involved over 5,200 participants and yielded 2,285 survey responses on CA social acceptance. We also conducted a technical trial between Osaka and Barcelona to explore cross-border CA services.
In collaboration with R&D Theme 1, we also developed prototypes of AI-powered CAs (“AI-CAs”) equipped with compact GPUs, capable of real-time human behavior tracking and advanced speech recognition and synthesis.
Field Experiments on Mental Health Care and Social Participation by Older Adults
In the mental health domain, we conducted ongoing field experiments on remote medical support using CAs in island communities. To address the shortage of medical staff on remote islands unreachable from the mainland, we developed a telemedicine system where mainland specialists advise local doctors or nurses via CAs. A year-long pilot at Hisaka Island Clinic in the Goto Islands confirmed its effectiveness.
To promote social participation by older adults through CA tele-operation, we created a system that analyzes conversations between the operator and the CA’s counterpart to suggest necessary actions in real time. In tasks like product searches, it increased operation speed by an average of 1.7 times. We also offered regular training and recruited elderly volunteers, forming a group of about 150 participants.
Corporate Consortium for an Avatar-Symbiotic Society
The consortium, established to foster industry collaboration, had grown to 166 member organizations by March 2025. Five working groups—Healthcare, Education, IT Infrastructure, Urban Development, and Factory Automation—have explored the feasibility of CA services in their respective sectors. In September 2024, we hosted an international symposium with participants from the UAE and Dubai Future Labs, furthering the consortium’s global outreach.
3. Future plans
We will continue real-world field experiments. In particular, we will launch a long-term field experiment during Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, targeting general participants worldwide. This will serve to evaluate both the technical viability and social acceptability of CAs, while exploring paths toward full-scale implementation. Findings will be shared across all R&D items and reflected in the development of the CA platform and international standardization efforts led by R&D item 5.