Toyota’s Robotics Effort: Teaching Robots to Fold T-Shirts the Japanese Way

At CES 2025, Toyota showcased its robotics progress by teaching robots to fold t-shirts the traditional Japanese way. This demonstration is part of Toyota’s Woven City project—a fully automated city planned at the foot of Mount Fuji. In this futuristic community, robots, autonomous cars, and drones will play a key role in making daily life easier for the 2,000 residents, especially for the elderly.

Toyota Teams Up with Boston Dynamics

To improve robot learning, Toyota has partnered with Boston Dynamics, a leader in humanoid robotics. Together, they are developing imitation learning technology. This technology helps robots learn by observing and copying humans. The partnership will allow robots to perform tasks like folding t-shirts and more.

How Toyota Teaches Robots to Fold T-Shirts

During the press conference, Akio Toyoda, Toyota’s CEO, showed how the company taught a robot to fold a t-shirt using traditional Japanese folding techniques. First, a human instructor demonstrates the correct way to fold a shirt. The robot then learns this task overnight. The robot’s ability to learn so quickly highlights its impressive dexterity and ability to replicate human movements.

Although folding t-shirts seems simple, it requires precision and careful handling, skills that robots will need to assist with daily tasks.

Why This Matters for Japan’s Aging Population

Japan is facing an aging population, and robots can help care for older adults. In Woven City, many of the residents will be retired, and automation will play a crucial role in assisting them with tasks. Toyota believes robots can improve the lives of older citizens by doing chores and helping with caregiving, allowing them to live more independently.

Woven City: A Glimpse into the Future

Woven City is a place where robots and humans work together. The city will be a living lab where robots assist in daily life, from chores to healthcare. Toyota’s innovations, like teaching robots to fold t-shirts, show how robots can become part of everyday routines. These advancements could one day help cities around the world become more robot-friendly and automated.

Conclusion

Toyota’s work in teaching robots delicate tasks, like folding t-shirts, is a step toward a future where robots help with caregiving and daily activities. Through projects like Woven City, Toyota is paving the way for smarter, more automated communities. This effort could change the way we live, work, and care for the elderly.

For more on Toyota’s robotics and mobility solutions, visit their official page.