Advancing AI and Robotics: Swiss-Japanese Collaborations Emerge from Moonshot Workshops
Promising outcomes have spawned out of the Japanese-European workshops co-organized by the Science & Technology Office Tokyo and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). Two Swiss researchers from ETH Zurich are receiving funding for research as Principal Investigators (PIs) of a Japanese flagship R&D funding program. Additional collaborations between Swiss and Japanese partners have also been triggered and are underway, for example, EPFL researchers joined a field trip and robot testing as part of the Moonshot Program, and a research team from Kyoto made follow-up visits to Switzerland.
In January 2024, a delegation of 12 European researchers, including seven from Switzerland, participated in the 2nd Japanese-European Workshop on Moonshot Goal 3 focusing on AI and Robotics . Co-coordinated by Prof. Robert Katzschmann of ETH Zurich and Prof. Kazuya Yoshida of Tohoku University, the workshop offered opportunities for bilateral discussions on potential joint research projects. In addition, laboratory visits at Waseda University and the University of Tokyo together with Japanese government officials were organized by JST. This workshop built on the first successful meeting in September 2022, where 25 Japanese researchers accompanied by JST and STO representatives explored Swiss research initiatives. The summaries of the workshops can be accessed here: 2022, 2024.
Artificial intelligence and robotics hold transformative potential to revolutionize industries and everyday life by enhancing efficiency, improving safety, and seamlessly collaborating with humans. Recognizing this, Moonshot Goal 3, “Co-evolving AI and Robots Towards 2050,” aims to develop advanced AI-driven robotic systems capable of working alongside people in fields such as healthcare, caregiving, disaster response, and smart manufacturing. This ambitious goal is part of Japan’s Moonshot R&D Program, launched by the Cabinet Office of Japan (CAO) and the Prime Minister’s Office, to tackle critical societal challenges through disruptive innovation.
With a successful year of collaboration behind and exciting prospects ahead, the Science & Technology Office Tokyo remains dedicated to strengthening ties between Switzerland and Japan in Education, Research, and Innovation.
For more information on the activities of the Science and Technology Office Tokyo of the Embassy of Switzerland in Japan: Tokyo - Swissnex
