Healthcare & Senior Care Technology Study Visit In-Person Open

Healthcare Robots: PARO, HAL & Robear in the Future of Care

Touch the future of care in Tsukuba: PARO the therapeutic seal for dementia, HAL the exoskeleton that restores movement, and Robear the bear that lifts patients. Then design your own robotics pilot.

Tsukuba, Japan

4 days 28 hrs Tsukuba, Japan ar / 15 seats

Overview

Japan leads the world in therapeutic and assistive robotics for healthcare, driven by both engineering excellence and acute demographic pressure. PARO the robotic seal reduces anxiety and agitation in dementia patients without medication. HAL (Hybrid Assistive Limb) is the world first cyborg-type robot that detects bioelectric signals from the wearer brain to restore movement in neurological rehabilitation. Robear, developed by RIKEN and Sumitomo Riko, is a nursing-care robot that lifts patients gently to prevent caregiver injury. This programme visits Cyberdyne and AIST facilities in Tsukuba, care homes using these devices, and research labs where the next generation of care robots is being built. Participants interact directly with robots and engineers, and design a robotic care pilot for their own hospital or facility.

Program Objectives

Understand the clinical indications, operating principles, and real-world outcomes of PARO, HAL, and Robear.
Evaluate the economic, workforce, and patient-experience benefits of therapeutic and assistive robotics in care settings.
Analyse regulatory, procurement, and integration pathways for deploying care robots in hospitals and long-term care facilities.
Design a pilot care-robotics programme for a hospital, rehabilitation centre, or elderly-care facility in their country.

Requirements

Hospital directors, rehabilitation specialists, geriatricians, health technology investors, Ministry of Health officials, and long-term care facility managers interested in robotics adoption.

Why This Program?

The Robots That Care for People Are Already Here. Meet Them in Japan.

Five days in Tsukuba with PARO, HAL, and Robear — designing a robotic care pilot for your hospital or facility.

Why this program
Every healthcare system in the world faces a workforce shortage for elderly and rehabilitative care. Robots will not replace humans, but they can extend human capability, reduce injury, and improve dignity. Japan has the only ecosystem where therapeutic and assistive robots are already operational at scale.

Why Japan
Tsukuba is Japan science city — home to AIST, Cyberdyne, and RIKEN, where the world most advanced care robots were invented, tested, and deployed. No other location offers this concentration of robotics research and real-world clinical deployment.

Experience Summary
Five days in Tsukuba: care robotics landscape, HAL exoskeleton demonstration, PARO therapeutic session, Robear lifting demonstration, care home visits, and Day 5 pilot design presentation.

Program Value

Real Robots, Real Patients

Interact with PARO, HAL, and Robear in the facilities where they are deployed, not just in videos.

Proven Clinical Outcomes

HAL restores movement in rehabilitation; PARO reduces dementia agitation without drugs; Robear prevents caregiver injury.

Regulatory & Safety Clarity

Learn how Japan regulates, procures, and integrates care robots — and how to navigate similar pathways in your country.

Pilot Plan Output

Leave with a complete pilot plan, cost-benefit analysis, and procurement roadmap ready for your hospital board.

Learning Journey

Before Program

Facility Readiness Assessment

Participants assess their hospital or facility for robotic care readiness: workforce needs, patient populations, infrastructure, and budget. Becomes Day 5 design input.

During Program

Tsukuba Robotics Immersion

Five days with HAL, PARO, and Robear: demonstrations, lab visits, care home tours, and Day 5 pilot design presentation.

After Program

Pilot Proposal & Board Review

Participants submit their robotic care feasibility report and pilot plan within 60 days. Debrief call at Day 90.

Nomination Eligibility

This programme is designed for professionals nominated by their organisations to undergo specialised training in Japan. Nominees should have organisational sponsorship and a clear mandate to apply the learnings upon return.

Why Train in Japan

Japan is the birthplace of the methodologies taught in this programme. Training in Japan provides direct exposure to the original practices, site visits to world-class facilities, and interaction with Japanese experts who pioneered these approaches — an experience impossible to replicate in a local classroom.

Why Train Overseas

Overseas training in Japan offers immersive access to the source of these management and operational philosophies. Participants gain cultural context, real-world observation, and networking opportunities with Japanese organisations that cannot be delivered through domestic or online alternatives.

Field Visits Note

Field visits are subject to host organisation availability and may be substituted with alternative sites of equivalent educational value without prior notice.

Certificate Statement

NIHON GATE Certificate is awarded upon successful completion of all programme days, participation in all activities, and delivery of the final project or presentation as required.

How to Use This File for Nomination

1 Download this Program File for Corporate Approval.

2 Review the programme details, objectives, and outcomes with your supervisor.

3 Submit the file to your HR or training department for nomination approval.

4 Upon approval, complete your registration through the NIHON GATE portal.

5 Receive confirmation and pre-programme materials within 48 hours.

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