Kawada Robotics partners with University of Edinburgh to advance next-generation humanoids for industrial packaging

The University of Edinburgh’s School of Informatics has announced a new joint industry-academia collaboration with Kawada Robotics, a subsidiary of Kawada Technologies, Tokyo, Japan. This two-and-a-half-year project aims to integrate cutting-edge research in adaptive whole-body motion planning and physics-informed Generative AI to improve the reliability and robustness of industrial packaging processes and complex multi-contact manipulation tasks in real-world settings.

The collaboration builds on Kawada’s legacy of innovation, including the development of iconic humanoid robots such as the HRP series and Nextage bimanual systems. Kawada Technologies is a major player in Japan’s construction industry, with expertise spanning structural design, manufacturing, and maintenance, and is known for landmark projects such as the Tokyo Skytree, Tokyo Gate Bridge, and Japan National Stadium.

The project will be led by Professor Sethu Vijayakumar from the School of Informatics and Ippei Yoshida from Kawada Robotics. The contract signing took place in mid-November at Kawada’s Tokyo offices, attended by Dr Tadahiro Kawada, President of the Kawada Group.