While known worldwide for its innovative car technology, Toyota Motor Corporation’s interest in robotics goes back to the 1980s when it installed industrial robots for automobile manufacturing.

In March 2018, the company established Toyota Research Institute (TRI), which partners with robotics specialists in Silicon Valley, to transition from a hardware-focused business to mobility services powered by artificial intelligence (AI) software. Committing $1 billion to the TRI’s funding, it launched a $100 million “Toyota AI Ventures” fund which focuses on investing in autonomous mobility.

Robot “Welwalk WW-2000” to improve the efficiency of physical therapy

In November 2019, Toyota announced it will start sales of its “Welwalk WW-2000” robot designed to support the recovery of patients with lower-limb paralysis.

The new robot is an upgrade of “Welwalk WW-1000” which previously was only available for rental to medical institutions. The improvements such as gaming functionality and a real-time display of data on gait are intended to help keep up patients’ motivation in the recovery process.

The company intends to manufacture 50 robots annually at its Motomachi factory for sale to medical institutions.

How the Toyota Mobility Foundation shapes the future of mobility

The Toyota Mobility Foundation, established in August 2014 to help ensure freedom of mobility, launched a $4 million Mobility Unlimited Challenge on November 16 2017, looking for teams with engineering, software, design and data science expertise, aiming to develop devices that best meet the needs of people with lower-limb paralysis.

Five finalist teams were announced on January 7 2019, each team receiving $500 thousand grant to further develop their idea. The winning team, which receives $1 million prize, will be announced in September 2020.