The 2025 World Expo in Osaka is now in full swing after kicking off back in April.
The event welcomed over one million visitors in its first 13 days, with organisers aiming for a total of 28.2 million attendees over the course of the six-month event.
Held every five years in a designated host country, the World Expo is an international showcase of culture, technological advancements, innovation, and inventions from nations (including Malaysia) and companies from around the world, presented in buildings specially built for the exposition called “Pavilions”. This marks the second time that Osaka has hosted the World Expo, with the last time being back in 1970.
Malaysia meets the world
True to the theme of “Weaving a Future in Harmony”, Malaysia’s Pavilion laid out a roadmap for the country’s ambition to become a “Smart Nation” by 2040, in a gallery splitting this ambition into several phases.
Malaysia’s Pavilion laid out a roadmap for the country’s ambition to become a ‘Smart Nation’ by 2040, with a gallery splitting this ambition into several phases.
This includes implementing integrated command centres from 2026 to 2030, with the aim of monitoring cities in real-time to ensure more efficient operation, allowing data-driven decision-making that would make predictions for traffic management and public safety trends.
From 2031 to 2035, Malaysia envisions smarter and more responsive cities through advanced analytics and Internet of Things sensors operating in cities, with data shared across government agencies, enhancing services like waste management, energy efficiency, crime prevention, mobility, and infrastructure.
Under the roadmap, Malaysia would finally achieve “visionary smart cities” by 2040, with liveable, sustainable, safe, and seamlessly connected urban spaces.
The pavilion also showcased a diorama of Kuala Lumpur, complete with a projection-mapped light show highlighting key landmarks and train lines throughout the city.
It also featured an augmented reality (AR) element, with tablets providing explanations when the camera is pointed at a specific part of the city.
The booth highlighted Malaysia’s robust QR payment systems offered through various payment platforms, including DuitNow, MAE, GrabPay, TNG eWallet and Agro Bank, while also showcasing registered intellectual properties.
Attendees could learn more about landmarks such as the Petronas Twin Towers, the Tun Razak Exchange, and public transportation systems like the LRT and monorail lines by tapping on the AR overlay panels that are displayed on the tablet.
The overlays display information about the landmarks, infrastructure, and offer suggestions for other sites to explore.
Ministries are taking turns serving as exhibitors at the Malaysia Pavilion during the Expo, with the Domestic Trade and Costs of Living Ministry (KPDN) managing the booth during LifestyleTech’s visit.
The booth highlighted Malaysia’s robust QR payment systems offered through various payment platforms, including DuitNow, MAE, GrabPay, TNG eWallet (see story on p4), and Agrobank, while also showcasing registered intellectual properties.
A Hall of Fame celebrating notable figures from Malaysia’s past and present.
At the end of the Malaysia Pavilion was a Hall of Fame, celebrating notable figures from the nation’s past and present, spanning a wide range of fields.
This includes national athletes like Datuk Wira Lee Chong Wei and Datuk Nicol Ann David, along with stars like Tan Sri P. Ramlee and Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh.
Riding the future
Several Pavilions exhibited robots and their potential to transform the future of humanity. For instance, the Robot & Mobility Station by the East Gate of the Expo included a mix of experiences and demos leveraging robotics.
On display was an AI (artificial intelligence) suitcase developed by the Consortium for Advanced Assistive Mobility Platform, meant to guide visually impaired people to requested destinations.
This AI ‘suitcase’ guides those with vision impairments with voice and tactile directions.
Despite the name, the suitcase provides no storage space whatsoever, with its internals completely filled with sensors, including lidar, which is commonly used with autonomous vehicles, a satellite positioning antenna, and camera.
These sensors would then be used to detect obstacles and provide guidance through voice directions, with additional tactile directions provided through a spinning dial on the handle.
The station also had three varieties of mobility devices, including the Daihatsu e-Sneaker, which could be rented for use around the Expo grounds. The e-Sneaker is capable of a top speed of 4km per hour, with a maximum range of 12km.
The e-Sneaker can be borrowed by attendees to get around the Expo.
Equipped with a row of sensors on the front and back, it can detect people and obstacles in front of riders, automatically dropping speed to 1kph to avoid collisions.
Alongside it was the larger Waku Mobi scooter, capable of a much higher top speed of 20kph, boasting greater stability during rides due to its entire body being able to tilt without shifting the rider when on uneven surfaces.
The Waku Mobi scooter can remain stable even when on jagged terrain for smoother rides.
Meanwhile, the wheelchair-like Uni-One can move in any direction and is controlled by riders shifting their body weight or leaning, entirely hands-free.
The Future City Pavilion featured the Corleo, a concept all-terrain vehicle from Kawasaki. As the name implies, it is meant to look like a robotic lion which people can ride like a horse.
Kawasaki’s all-terrain concept vehicle, the Corleo, looks like a robotic lion.
Though based on the video shown behind the Corleo at the event, it might be more apt to describe it as a mountain goat, since it was mainly depicted in hilly and mountainous environments.
Behind the Pavilion is the advanced air mobility vehicle from Lift Aircraft called Hexa, which was unfortunately only a static display during LifestyleTech’s visit. It is unclear if it will be taking flight sometime later during the Expo.
Robotics galore
Also at the Future City Pavilion were completely autonomous farming robots from Kubota, a Japanese agricultural machinery company, with units in two different sizes on show.
The larger Type V model is intended as a versatile platform capable of handling every stage of farming, from tilling to harvesting using various attachments and tools, while the smaller Type S is meant to be an assistant robot that can haul cargo and perform more precise tasks.
Type V and Type S: Two multifunction agriculture robots were shown off at the Future Cities Pavilion. This is the Type S.
Then there’s the MechatroMate Q from robotics company Living Robot, a small elder care robot that doubles as a cross between a walking smartphone and a smart home hub.
It can deliver video calls from family members directly to the person it’s caring for with its built-in 13-megapixel camera, provide medication reminders, control appliances like air conditioners, and even contact emergency services if something goes wrong.
The MechatroMate Q is an elder care robot that pulls double duty by making calls and giving medication reminders.
Another robot on show was the Qlogo Reactive Ver. 2, which is a telepresence robot, meaning that it can be controlled by someone off-site and be tasked with a specific job that can be performed in real-time.
Back at the Robot & Mobility Station are space-themed experiences, including a virtual reality spacewalk, which puts attendees in the seat of a space shuttle launch. The simulator chair even rotates 360° around to mimic zero gravity and the intensity of a shuttle launch.
Alongside it is a moon driving experience with a simulator setup with hydraulics to simulate the rugged lunar surface, and the remote operation of excavation equipment on the moon with joysticks.
Cutting-edge vending machines
No conversation about exploring Japan would be complete without a vending machine mention.
Aside from all vending machines on the Expo’s grounds accepting card and QR payments in line with the event’s cashless vision, vending machine providers are also honing in on sustainability tech.
Fuji Electric and Coca-Cola’s vending machine can be powered by hydrogen.
A hydrogen-powered vending machine co-developed by Fuji Electric and Coca-Cola was also on show. While it works about the same as a regular vending machine, what makes it special is the replaceable hydrogen cartridges it uses as a power source.
Rather than requiring a power outlet (and the associated infrastructure like power lines and electrical grids), these vending machines operate so long as the hydrogen cartridges are replaced when depleted.
The hydrogen cartridges provide energy through a chemical reaction with hydrogen and oxygen, allowing these vending machines to be installed basically anywhere.
This would also mean the vending machines would be powered by a clean energy source, assuming that green hydrogen is used, meaning that the production process gives off zero emissions.
For context, grey hydrogen, which emits carbon dioxide when produced, accounted for around 92% of the hydrogen produced in 2022, according to a Forbes report.
During LifestyleTech’s visit however, it was switched to using regular electricity due to issues with hydrogen supply. A notice on the machine mentions it will resume using hydrogen power in early June.
Meanwhile, in another part of the Expo, an Asahi vending machine was ‘eating’ carbon dioxide. It featured a built-in carbon dioxide absorber which is claimed to capture 20% of the annual emissions generated by powering each unit.
Asahi’s vending machine can ‘eat’ carbon dioxide and be powered by solar energy.
While not carbon neutral, it does work to offset the carbon footprint created from powering them. A notice on the vending machines also says they have already deployed in Osaka’s metro stations.
However, when combined with another technology, namely solar panels, these Asahi vending machines might even become carbon negative. Some of those deployed at the Expo are equipped with a roof made of solar panels, along with a sodium battery to store a charge when skies are overcast or when the sun isn’t out.
There are some caveats, though, as a notice on the machine states that the cooling performance may be affected when it is running solely off the power stored in the battery, meaning that drinks may not be at the ideal temperature.
Other tidbits
Also spotted at the Expo was flexible solar power generation film designed to be installed on uneven surfaces like roof tiles, which can generate and store energy in connected batteries.
The stored power can then be used for everyday needs, such as charging a smartphone or powering small household devices.
Lift Aircraft’s Hexa was shown as a static display.
Malaysians looking to visit the Expo can install an app developed by the organisers, called EXPO2025 Personal Agent, which can provide recommendations based on a particular guest’s likes, with a suggested itinerary based on the entrance used by the attendee and their time of entry, along with route navigation and restroom pit stops.
It also gives attendees quests to visit certain spots as part of a virtual stamp rally.
While Japan has a reputation for being a cash-first country, Expo organisers have gone in a different direction with a fully cashless policy, encouraging visitors to use credit and debit cards, QR codes, and prepaid card options during their time at the event.
All in all, it makes for a familiar experience for Malaysians, who have long embraced e-wallets and contactless payments back at home.
The Osaka World Expo runs until Oct 13, 2025.
