Our project at the Expo 2025 in Japan
A project by the School of Life Sciences and Facility Management is part of Expo 2025 in Osaka. Visitors to the Swiss pavilion can experience how robots could support elderly citizens, and they can interact directly with the robotic arm. The installation is currently on its way to Japan.
From Heidi to high-tech
Switzerland is represented at the Expo 2025 with the theme ‘From Heidi to high-tech’. The pavilion will take visitors on an immersive and interactive journey through collaborative innovation. A lightweight membrane structure forms four interconnected spheres on the ground floor of the pavilion. Sphere 3 highlights the technological advances of today and the visionary breakthroughs of tomorrow and changes every two months. In the chapter ‘Life’ from 11 June to 12 August, visitors can see and experience the project of the School of Life Sciences and Facility Management.
RobotCare by ZHAW
For elderly citizens and those with limited mobility, maximising their independence is vital. In the future, robots could provide the physical assistance needed to make this possible. The RobotCare Project is developing brain-inspired AI Technology to make robots safer, more agile, and more aware of their surroundings, enabling them to become better assistants and companions.
At the Expo, visitors can try out the technology with a robotic arm. A camera registers hand movements and passes them on to the robotic arm, allowing its movements to be controlled.
Our researchers in Wädenswil developed and built the installation with a robotic arm. It is currently on its way to Japan.
16 June 2025, 10 am – 3 pm, Swiss Pavilion, World Expo Osaka
RobotCare Next steps, presentations, workshop and discussions
Contact: yulia.sandamirskaya@zhaw.ch & nicole.gerber@zhaw.ch
About Expo 2025 and the Swiss Pavilion
Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, is running under the motto ‘Designing Future Society for Our Lives’ and is open until 13 October. A total of 161 countries are represented and 28 million visitors are expected.
Contact
Prof. Dr. Yulia Sandamirskaya, Centre for Cognitive Computing in Life Sciences, Institute of Computational Life Sciences, yulia.sandamirskaya@zhaw.ch
Dr. Nicole Gerber, Expert Group Hospitality & Service Management, Institute of Facility Management, nicole.gerber@zhaw.ch
Beatrice Huber, Media Relations LSFM, beatrice.huber@zhaw.ch