Hitachi, and its subsidiary Hitachi Building Systems, have begun a trial of their “Emiew 3” humanoid robot at Haneda Airport, in Japan.
The robot, developed by Hitachi, looks a little bit like the Nao robot, in its red colouring and dimensions.
The tests will be conducted at Haneda Airport Passenger Terminal 2 (Domestic Flights) in collaboration with Japan Airport Terminal.
Through these tests, Hitachi and Hitachi Building Systems say they plan to create new added value to enhance customer reception and guidance services in locations where many customers gather, such as shopping malls, airports, and other public facilities.
Hitachi originally developed the EMIEW robot, which engages in dialogue and physical interactions with humans, in 2005.
After numerous modifications, the EMIEW3 was released in April 2016. The EMIEW3 is a humanoid robot that moves independently with customers who require support in shopping malls and other public spaces.
It was developed to provide support in customer operations through various services, such as customer reception and guidance.
Through the tests conducted at Haneda Airport, Hitachi and Hitachi Building Systems will use the EMIEW3’s multi-language dialogue and autonomous running functions to provide customers with information on shops and facilities, and to guide them to their destinations.
By offering support in these types of guidance operations, they will improve the quality of services for diverse customers, and contribute to smooth movement in the airport by optimizing guidance methods, says Hitachi.
