ZEALS, in collaboration with Quick Inc., a University of Tsukuba–originated startup, conducted a three-day proof of concept at University of Tsukuba Hospital from March 23 to 25, 2026, using the Unitree G1 humanoid robot.

The trial used a humanoid robot equipped with Omakase OS, ZEALS’ operating system for robotics, to evaluate autonomous walking, obstacle avoidance, conversational wayfinding, item transport, and anomaly detection within a hospital environment.

The proof of concept took place in the first-floor lobby of University of Tsukuba Hospital from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., after outpatient services had ended. In a simulated real hospital environment, the team assessed stable bipedal walking on the floor, obstacle avoidance around traffic cones and pedestrians, and autonomous navigation to designated destinations.

The main results were as follows:

• Stable bipedal walking on hospital flooring: Successful

• Obstacle avoidance around traffic cones, pedestrians, and other objects: Successful

• Autonomous walking to designated destinations: Successful

• Conversational wayfinding and transport tasks: Successful

• Anomaly detection: Successful

Although an incident temporarily interrupted power supply to peripheral equipment, all validation items were ultimately completed. The robot did not fall even once during the proof of concept, achieving stable operation in a hospital environment where safety is paramount.

On the final day, Hospital Director Yuji Hiramatsu and Assistant Hospital Director Kiyotaka Nemoto of University of Tsukuba Hospital attended a demonstration. The participants exchanged views on the potential of humanoid robots in healthcare settings, identifying further needs beyond wayfinding and transport, including support for a range of indirect tasks performed by healthcare professionals.

ZEALS will continue advancing the real-world deployment of humanoid robots that can understand their surroundings and perform appropriate roles alongside people, particularly in healthcare and other fields facing severe labor shortages.

*As of March 25, 2026, based on ZEALS research and publicly available information. This is the first case in Japan in which a general-purpose humanoid robot based on Unitree G1 has been tested in an in-hospital setting for autonomous bipedal walking, obstacle avoidance, conversational wayfinding, and transport tasks as an integrated set of capabilities.