TLDR
- Kawasaki Heavy Industries has opened the Kawasaki Physical AI Center in San Jose, California
- Partners include Nvidia, Analog Devices, Microsoft, and Fujitsu
- The center will focus first on healthcare and elder care solutions
- Nvidia’s simulation technology will be applied to Kawasaki’s four-legged robot, Corleo
- The hub is part of a broader push to deploy physical AI across multiple industries
Japan’s Kawasaki Heavy Industries has opened a new joint development center in San Jose, California. The facility is called the Kawasaki Physical AI Center.
Kawasaki Heavy shares rally as much as 12%, the most since Feb. 9 on the company’s plan to collaborate with US tech company Nvidia and others on physical AI robot technology https://t.co/E9PgOKpygG
— Bloomberg (@business) May 22, 2026
The center formally opened with a ceremony on Thursday. It brings together Kawasaki with four major technology companies: Nvidia, Analog Devices, Microsoft, and Fujitsu.
The announcement was first reported by the Nikkei newspaper on May 21. Kawasaki confirmed the partnership in a press release on Friday.
Healthcare Is the Starting Point
The center’s first priority is healthcare and elder care. Kawasaki says aging populations and labor shortages make this a pressing global challenge.
The company plans to build what it calls a “hospital one-stop solution.” This would cover the full patient journey — from arrival and examination through to surgery and post-care — using robotics and AI.
With Fujitsu, the focus will be on healthcare specifically. The two companies plan to connect business systems, robotic systems, and AI to create new value in that space.
Analog Devices will help Kawasaki build robots capable of a wide range of tasks. The partnership will combine AI, voice recognition, and sensing technologies.
Microsoft will contribute its cloud and AI platform. The goal is to help ensure that physical AI solutions are reliable and scalable when deployed in real-world environments.
Nvidia Brings Simulation Technology
Kawasaki’s partnership with Nvidia centers on integrating AI and robotics across multiple fields. Healthcare is the entry point, but the collaboration extends further.
Nvidia’s simulation technology will be applied to Corleo, Kawasaki’s four-legged personal mobility robot currently under development. Corleo is designed for personal mobility use cases.
Expansion Beyond Healthcare
While healthcare comes first, Kawasaki says the center will expand into semiconductors, automotive, and new mobility sectors over time.
The San Jose hub will work alongside Kawasaki’s development bases in Japan. It will also connect with the Kawasaki Innovation Centre Europe, which opened in Strasbourg, France, in March 2026.
Kawasaki says the European center will help tailor physical AI solutions to regional needs. The San Jose center plays a similar role for the U.S. and Japan corridor.
The company describes the overall effort as accelerating the “social implementation” of physical AI — moving AI and robotics technology from development into practical use across society.
Nvidia did not respond to a Reuters request for comment at the time of the original report.
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