Kawasaki Accelerates Physical AI Development Through Collaboration with NVIDIA, Analog Devices, Microsoft, and Fujitsu, Opening New Center in Silicon Valley

Kawasaki Heavy Industries has established the 'Kawasaki Physical AI Center San Jose' in Silicon Valley, USA, to accelerate Japan-US collaboration in the AI and semiconductor fields. The center will drive collaboration with global top-tier AI players, including NVIDIA, Analog Devices, Microsoft, and Fujitsu.

At the opening ceremony held on May 21, President Yasuhiko Hashimoto stated that the center will initially focus on healthcare and nursing care to address the global challenges of an aging population and labor shortages. By merging Physical AI with robotics, Kawasaki aims to establish 'Hospital One-stop Solutions' that support everything from hospital visits to postoperative care. The company also plans to apply these solutions to broader industries such as semiconductors, automobiles, and new mobility.

Hashimoto emphasized that the goal of Physical AI is not to replace humans but to safely and efficiently support human judgment and action. The center serves as a hub for global partnerships, bringing together experts from AI, semiconductors, software, academia, and industry.

Physical AI is defined as AI that autonomously perceives and judges in physical space and takes physical action through machines. This requires 'real-world' data for social implementation. Kawasaki leverages its vast amount of on-site data and expertise accumulated across aerospace, shipbuilding, and energy sectors to move beyond research and create new business domains.

The center will focus on integrating Physical AI with products such as the autonomous service robot (Nyokkey), indoor delivery robot (FORRO), surgical assistance robot (hinotori™), and robotic multi-legged vehicle (CORLEO).

Key collaboration themes include: - NVIDIA: Creating new solutions merging AI and robotics in diverse fields, starting with healthcare. - Analog Devices: Realizing robots capable of wide-ranging tasks by integrating AI, audio, and manipulation technologies. - Microsoft: Accelerating the deployment of real-world solutions using a reliable and scalable cloud/AI platform.