Humanoid robots start sorting luggage in Tokyo airport test amid labor shortage

Source: Ars Technica

Test of Humanoid Robots at Tokyo Airport

Japanese companies will test the G1 robot from Unitree Robotics and the Walker E robot from UBTECH Robotics, according to The Asia Business Daily. Humanoid robots typically cost tens of thousands of dollars per unit, although the baseline model of the Unitree G1 is priced as low as $13,500.

Demonstration Video

A newly released video, apparently staged in an aircraft hangar, shows one of the humanoid robots tottering toward a large metal cargo container and making a vague pushing gesture. The container only begins to move after a human worker activates the conveyor belt that pushes the container toward the aircraft.

Humanoid robot demonstration with airport cargo.

Safety and Operational Considerations

If robots are to match the productivity of human airport workers, they will need to perform significantly more effective tasks. Deploying robots alongside humans introduces new safety considerations, especially at busy hubs like Haneda Airport, Japan’s second‑largest airport, where flights arrive approximately every two minutes (flight schedule). The pilot program’s first step will be to identify airport areas that are safest for humanoid robot operation.

Labor Shortage Context

Cost‑effective robotic assistance could help Japan’s airports, which are grappling with a worsening labor shortage. In December 2023, Tokyo’s Narita Airport reportedly could not respond to more than 30 % of requested flights each week because of staff shortages among cargo handlers and other ground crew, according to The Mainichi. Government data show that the number of ground‑crew employees across Japan fell from 26,300 in March 2019 to 23,700 in September 2023.