Design Thinking Japan Hosts Tokyo Edition of Hugging Face’s Global Lerobot Hackathon: Advancing Physical AI Innovation
Tokyo, Jun. 1, 2025 — Physical AI is no longer a vision—it’s happening now, and Design Thinking Japan (DTJ) is deeply immersed in this technological revolution. In partnership with Tokyo AI (TAI), DTJ proudly hosted the Tokyo leg of the Hugging Face Lerobot Hackathon, part of a worldwide network of over 80 cities engaging more than 1,000 builders who are driving the future of open-source AI robotics.
The two-day hackathon challenged participants to push the boundaries of embodied intelligence—teaching robots to move, manipulate objects, and collaborate in real-world environments using affordable, open-source platforms. Beyond coding marathons, the event sparked dynamic conversations, serendipitous ‘what if we try…’ moments, and breakthrough experiences, reflecting the very spirit of innovation.
“At our DTJ Tokyo innovation hub, we are uniting expertise in human-centered AI with hands-on robotics experimentation,” said Brittany Arthur, DTJ’s CEO. “Physical AI represents a new frontier where humans and machines co-create, innovate, and transform the future—side by side.”
The Lerobot project, facilitated by Hugging Face, combines accessible robot designs, AI training tutorials, and collaborative datasets openly shared across a vibrant, global community. Participants worked on real robot arms and mobile manipulators, experimenting with data collection, imitation learning, and AI model training, all designed to democratize robotics development.
As researchers, engineers, and hobbyists gathered locally and online, the event energized Japan’s innovation ecosystem while contributing to a global movement making AI-powered robotics accessible, collaborative, and human-focused.
For those interested in joining future events or learning more about this breakthrough in physical AI, please visit DTJ website or register at https://lu.ma/b6puybn6.
About Design Thinking Japan (DTJ)
Design Thinking Japan (DTJ) is a Tokyo-based firm specializing in building custom AI applications and delivering hands-on AI upskilling programs. DTJ combines human centered design with advanced AI engineering to enable organizations to harness technology in practical, impactful ways. Visit us at DesignThinkingJapan.com
