OrySnack Opens in Tokyo with Avatar Bartenders Piloted Remotely by Workers with Disabilities

In Tokyo, a new bar called OrySnack features six small humanoid robots named OriHime that pour drinks and interact with customers. These robots are remotely controlled by "pilots" who operate them from home, enabling individuals who cannot commute due to illness, disability, or other circumstances to work. One pilot, a woman named Guro who has FSHD (Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy), a genetic muscle disorder causing progressive weakness, works from her home in Tokyo. The system allows pilots to control the robot's movements and communicate with customers via screen, microphone, and speakers, giving them a physical presence behind the bar. Customers can enjoy sake and conversation even if the server is hundreds of kilometers away. OrySnack is run by OryLab, the robot developer that also trial-ran a similar cafe concept in 2018. The company aims to rethink workplace inclusivity by adapting the workplace to the worker rather than the reverse. The bar is open from 1:00 to 7:00 pm and requires reservations. A second location, OrySnack Kyoto, is set to open on December 4.