Tokyo robot cafe offers new spin on disability inclusion

A humanoid robot piloted by a staff members with disabilities delivers drinks to customers at the Dawn Cafe in Tokyo. - AFP

TOKYO (AFP): At a Tokyo cafe, Michio Imai greets a customer, but not in person. He's hundreds of kilometres away, operating a robot waiter as part of an experiment in inclusive employment.

Dawn cafe's robots are intended to be more than a gimmick, offering job opportunities to people who find it hard to work outside the home.