Friday, April 21, 2023

The Creation and Deployment of "Humble and Lovable" Delivery Robots in Japan

About Topic In Short:

Who:

Japan's AIST (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology).

What:

Creation of a "humble and lovable" delivery robot called "CarriRo Delivery."

How:

Utilizes artificial intelligence and autonomous driving technology, operates in a step-by-step process of loading, delivery, and unloading.

Introduction:

In response to labor shortages and rural isolation, Japan has rolled out self-driving delivery robots that can navigate streets with the help of remote human monitoring. These machines could revolutionize the delivery industry by providing a solution for elderly people in depopulated rural areas to access goods, while also addressing a shortage of delivery workers in the country.

The Process of Creating the Delivery Robots:

ZMP, a Tokyo-based robotics firm, has partnered with major companies such as Japan Post Holdings and conducted trials of delivery robots in Tokyo. ZMP's DeliRo robot is designed to have a charming look, with big expressive eyes that can be made teary in sadness if pedestrians block its way. According to Hisashi Taniguchi, the president of ZMP, it is important that the machines "are humble and lovable" to inspire confidence.

The machines operate with the help of remote human monitoring and intervention. One person at the control center simultaneously monitors four robots via cameras and is automatically alerted whenever their robotic charges are stuck or stopped by obstacles. In high-risk areas such as junctions, humans will intervene.

Deployment of the Delivery Robots:

From April 2023, revised traffic laws in Japan will allow self-driving delivery robots to navigate streets across the country. The regulations set a maximum speed of 6 kph, reducing the chances of severe injury in the event of a collision. However, concerns still exist in Japan about everything from collisions to theft.

The robots have been designed with a serious purpose. Japan has one of the world’s oldest populations, with nearly 30% of its citizens over age 65. Many live in depopulated rural areas that lack easy access to daily necessities, and labor shortages in cities make it difficult for businesses to keep up with delivery demands.

Thus Speak Authors/Experts:

According to engineer Dai Fujikawa of electronics giant Panasonic, which is also trialing delivery robots in Tokyo and Fujisawa, in Kanagawa Prefecture, "The shortage of workers in transport will be a challenge in the future...I hope our robots will be used to take over where needed and help ease the labor crunch."

However, experts such as Yutaka Uchimura, a robotic engineering professor at Shibaura Institute of Technology (SIT), are aware of the limitations of the technology. "Even the simplest of tasks performed by humans can be difficult for robots to emulate," he said. Uchimura believes rolling the robots out in sparsely populated rural areas first would be safest.

Conclusion:

While the deployment of delivery robots in Japan may be a gradual process, it is clear that the country is taking steps towards utilizing the technology to address labor shortages and rural isolation. With the help of remote human monitoring and intervention, these "humble and lovable" machines could provide a solution for elderly people in depopulated rural areas to access goods, while also addressing a shortage of delivery workers in the country.

Image Gallery

A four-wheeled robot dodges pedestrians on a street outside Tokyo, part of an experiment businesses hope will tackle labour shortages and rural isolation.

An employee at a control centre monitors Panasonic delivery robots using a live feed from remote cameras at the Fujisawa Sustainable Smart Town in Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture.

A child and his mother look at a mobility robot RakuRo, developed by Tokyo-based robotics firm ZMP, at the company’s service station in Tokyo.

(From left) Mobility robot RakuRo, security robot Patoro and delivery robot DeliRo. The service robots were developed by Tokyo-based firm ZMP. | AFP-JIJI