Avatar Robot OriHime Expands New Career Paths for People with Mobility Challenges

Ory Laboratory Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representatives: Kentaro Yoshifuji, Masahiro Sasayama) collaborated with Panasonic Corporation (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President: Akira Toyoshima) to conduct a three-month demonstration from November 2025. In this trial, individuals with physical disabilities, who usually work as pilots at the Avatar Robot Cafe, participated remotely in corporate office tasks using the avatar robot 'OriHime.' A talk event regarding this project was held with Panasonic on April 23. [Expanding Workplaces for People with Mobility Challenges into the Corporate Sphere] Previously, the participation of mobility-challenged individuals in corporate work was predicated on 'being physically present' at the site. However, by utilizing OriHime, they can 'exist' in the corporate office from their homes and perform tasks while interacting with employees. In this trial, OriHime pilots took charge of 'creating employee introduction articles' for Panasonic. By combining OriHime with video conferencing and chat tools, the entire process—from conducting interviews to final writing—was completed entirely remotely. This result proved that technology can overturn the concept that 'physical attendance is mandatory' and expand the career scope for those with mobility challenges in actual business settings. [Communication Skills Change Perceptions, Making Them 'Colleagues Working Together'] The communication skills of the OriHime pilots, honed through their daily work at the cafe, were highly evaluated by the Panasonic employees they interviewed. Out of 17 participating employees, 16 reported a positive change in their perception of the 'abilities and motivation' of individuals with disabilities. All 17 answered that they would 'want to work with people with disabilities' (10 strongly agreed, 6 somewhat agreed). This outcome suggests that the communication, dialogue, and business adaptation skills developed in hospitality roles could be effectively applied to corporate tasks, contributing to a more positive image of working alongside people with disabilities. 'My values changed completely. I used to think it was natural for them not to be able to work, or that it couldn't be helped. But seeing OriHime's face move and making eye contact felt like I was actually talking to a person. The communication was so smooth and meaningful.' 'I had unconscious biases myself, but after interacting with the pilot, my mindset flipped 180 degrees. I was most impressed by their high-level skills: their engaging way of speaking, quick thinking, and ability to dig into relevant points.' 'I was surprised by their ability to summarize key points and rephrase appropriately. I strongly felt that I want to work with people who possess such high capabilities.' Through this demonstration, it was shown that the OriHime pilots' communication and interpersonal skills are naturally exercised in corporate environments, indicating the potential for mobility-challenged individuals to integrate into the workplace not as 'people requiring special consideration,' but as 'reliable colleagues.' [Comments from Project Stakeholders] Akari Koizumi, Department Manager of Employee Success Promotion & Head of DEI/Organizational Development Office, Panasonic Corporation: 'Panasonic inherits our founder Konosuke Matsushita's philosophy of "Making people before making products." We promote an environment where every individual can "UNLOCK" their potential. We see the lack of opportunities for people with disabilities as a significant loss of potential and believe they can create value within our business.' Shunsuke Aiga, Manager of Business Development Team, Ory Laboratory: 'In the field of disability employment where there is no single right answer, it is significant that an influential company like Panasonic takes a new step. We hope this trial triggers a spread of employment that focuses on individual potential rather than physical constraints.' Ory Laboratory will continue to implement remote working systems using OriHime in society by collaborating with companies and local governments, striving to enrich work options for people with mobility challenges.