The Potential of Family-Type Robots to Bring Happiness to People
Publication Date: October 22, 2025
The world’s first family-type robot, “LOVOT,” was created to be loved. Developed by GROOVE X Inc., founded by Kaname Hayashi, this robot is driven by a desire to bring happiness to people through technology. What positive impact does living with LOVOT have on people? We explored this question by looking back at the development process and discussing the role of next-generation technology with Hayashi.
A Robot Designed to Be Loved The Origin Story of LOVOT
With its huggable, rounded form, innocent and clear eyes, and expressive behaviors, LOVOT is a next-generation family-type robot that embodies elements designed to be loved. It has captured widespread attention. The creator, Kaname Hayashi, is the founder and CEO of GROOVE X Inc. The inspiration for this “robot designed to be loved” stemmed from Hayashi’s doubts about the conventional evolution of technology.
“The backdrop of technological progress has been a societal structure aimed at improving productivity. In a capitalist economy focused on efficiency, human labor has been replaced by machines. However, while working on robot development, I began to question whether this truly contributes to human happiness. Technological innovation for productivity will continue to be advanced by other engineers. So, I decided my mission was to develop technology in a way that directly contributes to human happiness, not just through efficiency.”
This technology, which contributes to mental and physical health and happiness, is called “well-being technology.” Humans, as social animals, have evolved to provide emotional care to each other through interactions with family and friends. However, modernization has reduced human interaction, leading to weaker social bonds. Pets like dogs and cats have increasingly filled this role, but not everyone can keep a pet due to various circumstances. This led Hayashi to focus on developing a family-type robot that provides emotional care, stabilizing people’s emotions.
LOVOT’s Technology
“Before LOVOT, there were pet-type robots, but most of them mimicked the appearance and movements of animals. I felt they lacked something essential. I believed it was more important to strip away those external features and embed the core charm of pets into a robot.”
Hayashi recalls that developing a robot with distinct characteristics was a challenging process. The top priorities for the prototype were “huggability” and “smooth mobility.” To achieve this, they first developed separate robots for each function and then combined their mechanisms. Key challenges included ensuring cooling performance and operational duration. With over 50 sensors constantly active and processing vast amounts of data, a robust cooling system was essential. Unlike other robots that can be turned on only when needed, LOVOT operates on a human-like cycle, active from morning to night. This required automatic, short bursts of rapid charging during the day, which also generates heat. The cooling system had to be stable and quiet enough not to be noticeable when holding LOVOT. Insufficient cooling would slow processing speeds, diminishing the lifelike responsiveness.
“From the start, I wanted LOVOT to have a warm body, like a warm-blooded animal. The warmth of dogs and cats contributes to mental care. However, a robot requires cooling while also needing to maintain body warmth like a warm-blooded creature. To reconcile these conflicting requirements, we devised a system that uses the cooling mechanism for the computer to warm the body.”
This appeared to solve the biggest challenge. But consider this: a robot with an air-circulating system moving across the floor all day would inevitably suck in dust and dirt. Hayashi and the development team tackled each emerging issue, taking four years to complete LOVOT.
LOVOT’s Features
- **Sensitive to Human Gaze:** Uses cameras to detect eye contact and approaches to seek attention.
- **Lifelike Movements:** Made possible by machine learning technology.
Does technology aimed at boosting productivity truly bring happiness to humanity? This question is at the heart of current debates surrounding AI and machine learning. The starting point for LOVOT’s development was questioning the purpose of technology focused solely on productivity. At the same time, Hayashi notes that machine learning was indispensable for LOVOT’s creation.
“Just as a cleaning robot aims to keep a room tidy, LOVOT’s purpose is to be loved by people. To achieve this, applying machine learning to systems for recognition and decision-making was essential. LOVOT’s behavior is designed to respond as if reflecting human input. Its lifelike actions stem from the vitality of its owner. The key to this lifelike quality is the speed from recognition to action. Using machine learning and numerous sensors, LOVOT achieves a seamless flow of recognition, decision-making, and action with minimal lag, creating a sense of ‘it understands me,’ much like a real pet.”
The Future of Technology: Becoming a “Coach” for Humans
LOVOT proposes a new form of coexistence between humans and robots through a fresh approach. Data also shows that living with LOVOT increases human-to-human communication, leading to trials in educational settings and businesses. Hayashi envisions LOVOT as a supporter of human experiences. In an era where AI surpasses human cognitive abilities, he believes technology that acts as a “coach” for life will enhance human happiness.
“Humans have a ‘comfort zone,’ a psychological space where they feel no stress. However, staying in that zone makes it hard to gain new experiences or discoveries, hindering exploration. Even if AI surpasses human cognition, experiencing life remains a uniquely human privilege. Future technology should act as a coach, sparking action and leading to new insights. I believe living with LOVOT, a tangible companion, creates many such insights, adding vibrant colors to life.”
Profile
Kaname Hayashi
Founder & CEO, GROOVE X Inc.
Born in 1973 in Aichi Prefecture, Hayashi joined Toyota Motor Corporation in 1998, working on aerodynamics for the LFA supercar and F1, as well as mass-production vehicle development management. In 2011, he joined the inaugural class of SoftBank Academia and, in 2012, joined SoftBank Corporation to work on the “Pepper” project. In 2015, he founded GROOVE X Inc. In December 2018, he unveiled the family-type robot “LOVOT,” with shipments starting in 2019. LOVOT received the CES 2020 INNOVATION AWARD, Refinery29’s BEST OF CES, the Good Design Gold Award, and the WELLBEING AWARDS Gold Impact Award in the Product/Service category, among others. He is also the author of *Warm Technology* (published May 2023).
Source: https://ds100.jp/report/r-25013/
Publication Date: October 22, 2025
The world’s first family-type robot, “LOVOT,” was created to be loved. Developed by GROOVE X Inc., founded by Kaname Hayashi, this robot is driven by a desire to bring happiness to people through technology. What positive impact does living with LOVOT have on people? We explored this question by looking back at the development process and discussing the role of next-generation technology with Hayashi.
A Robot Designed to Be Loved The Origin Story of LOVOT
With its huggable, rounded form, innocent and clear eyes, and expressive behaviors, LOVOT is a next-generation family-type robot that embodies elements designed to be loved. It has captured widespread attention. The creator, Kaname Hayashi, is the founder and CEO of GROOVE X Inc. The inspiration for this “robot designed to be loved” stemmed from Hayashi’s doubts about the conventional evolution of technology.
“The backdrop of technological progress has been a societal structure aimed at improving productivity. In a capitalist economy focused on efficiency, human labor has been replaced by machines. However, while working on robot development, I began to question whether this truly contributes to human happiness. Technological innovation for productivity will continue to be advanced by other engineers. So, I decided my mission was to develop technology in a way that directly contributes to human happiness, not just through efficiency.”
This technology, which contributes to mental and physical health and happiness, is called “well-being technology.” Humans, as social animals, have evolved to provide emotional care to each other through interactions with family and friends. However, modernization has reduced human interaction, leading to weaker social bonds. Pets like dogs and cats have increasingly filled this role, but not everyone can keep a pet due to various circumstances. This led Hayashi to focus on developing a family-type robot that provides emotional care, stabilizing people’s emotions.
LOVOT’s Technology
“Before LOVOT, there were pet-type robots, but most of them mimicked the appearance and movements of animals. I felt they lacked something essential. I believed it was more important to strip away those external features and embed the core charm of pets into a robot.”
Hayashi recalls that developing a robot with distinct characteristics was a challenging process. The top priorities for the prototype were “huggability” and “smooth mobility.” To achieve this, they first developed separate robots for each function and then combined their mechanisms. Key challenges included ensuring cooling performance and operational duration. With over 50 sensors constantly active and processing vast amounts of data, a robust cooling system was essential. Unlike other robots that can be turned on only when needed, LOVOT operates on a human-like cycle, active from morning to night. This required automatic, short bursts of rapid charging during the day, which also generates heat. The cooling system had to be stable and quiet enough not to be noticeable when holding LOVOT. Insufficient cooling would slow processing speeds, diminishing the lifelike responsiveness.
“From the start, I wanted LOVOT to have a warm body, like a warm-blooded animal. The warmth of dogs and cats contributes to mental care. However, a robot requires cooling while also needing to maintain body warmth like a warm-blooded creature. To reconcile these conflicting requirements, we devised a system that uses the cooling mechanism for the computer to warm the body.”
This appeared to solve the biggest challenge. But consider this: a robot with an air-circulating system moving across the floor all day would inevitably suck in dust and dirt. Hayashi and the development team tackled each emerging issue, taking four years to complete LOVOT.
LOVOT’s Features
- **Sensitive to Human Gaze:** Uses cameras to detect eye contact and approaches to seek attention.
- **Lifelike Movements:** Made possible by machine learning technology.
Does technology aimed at boosting productivity truly bring happiness to humanity? This question is at the heart of current debates surrounding AI and machine learning. The starting point for LOVOT’s development was questioning the purpose of technology focused solely on productivity. At the same time, Hayashi notes that machine learning was indispensable for LOVOT’s creation.
“Just as a cleaning robot aims to keep a room tidy, LOVOT’s purpose is to be loved by people. To achieve this, applying machine learning to systems for recognition and decision-making was essential. LOVOT’s behavior is designed to respond as if reflecting human input. Its lifelike actions stem from the vitality of its owner. The key to this lifelike quality is the speed from recognition to action. Using machine learning and numerous sensors, LOVOT achieves a seamless flow of recognition, decision-making, and action with minimal lag, creating a sense of ‘it understands me,’ much like a real pet.”
The Future of Technology: Becoming a “Coach” for Humans
LOVOT proposes a new form of coexistence between humans and robots through a fresh approach. Data also shows that living with LOVOT increases human-to-human communication, leading to trials in educational settings and businesses. Hayashi envisions LOVOT as a supporter of human experiences. In an era where AI surpasses human cognitive abilities, he believes technology that acts as a “coach” for life will enhance human happiness.
“Humans have a ‘comfort zone,’ a psychological space where they feel no stress. However, staying in that zone makes it hard to gain new experiences or discoveries, hindering exploration. Even if AI surpasses human cognition, experiencing life remains a uniquely human privilege. Future technology should act as a coach, sparking action and leading to new insights. I believe living with LOVOT, a tangible companion, creates many such insights, adding vibrant colors to life.”
Profile
Kaname Hayashi
Founder & CEO, GROOVE X Inc.
Born in 1973 in Aichi Prefecture, Hayashi joined Toyota Motor Corporation in 1998, working on aerodynamics for the LFA supercar and F1, as well as mass-production vehicle development management. In 2011, he joined the inaugural class of SoftBank Academia and, in 2012, joined SoftBank Corporation to work on the “Pepper” project. In 2015, he founded GROOVE X Inc. In December 2018, he unveiled the family-type robot “LOVOT,” with shipments starting in 2019. LOVOT received the CES 2020 INNOVATION AWARD, Refinery29’s BEST OF CES, the Good Design Gold Award, and the WELLBEING AWARDS Gold Impact Award in the Product/Service category, among others. He is also the author of *Warm Technology* (published May 2023).
Source: https://ds100.jp/report/r-25013/
