Human coexistence type humanoid robot RHP Friends (hereinafter called “Friends”)

ー　Tell us the background leading to the development of RHP Friends.

At Kawasaki, we are working with the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology on joint development for the improvement of the humanoid robot technology in Japan. What kind of thing is a humanoid robot that will be useful for the Japanese industry?

We had assumed disaster rescue as one example for the implementation of Kaleido in society, but implementation in factories could be even quicker. Even within a factory, we are not talking about the manufacturing of mass produced items, but rather works such as the assembly of products with high added value. Wouldn’t it be possible to use humanoid robots for this work?

In workplaces such as that, there are often humans bending their bodies flexibly in tight spaces to perform the tasks. It is also sometimes the case that it is necessary to travel along narrow passageways just to get to the site of the work. However, the work itself is only plain and easy tasks such as tightening screws. In such cases, robots can do better than humans.

However, to be able to perform work in such places, a humanoid robot would have to be a slender model. It would have to be flexible and designed to be safe for working together with humans, and it must not damage the surrounding equipment even if it fell over. It is always good to have strength, but this work does not actually require very much strength. There must surely also be opportunities for a robot such as this to be useful for aircraft engines, gas turbines and places such as chemical plants.

What we were previously aiming for with our development of Kaleido was robustness and power. In response to this, the origin of the Friends project was when we decided to develop a robot that would have a slim body that could travel along narrow paths, and also a design that the people around would consider it to be gentle.

ー　Tell us the points that have been passed on from Kaleido to Friends, and also what points are different.

Know-how and design concepts from 50 years of industrial robots at Kawasaki have been passed on, not only to Kaleido, but also to Friends. We have also followed the designing technology for Kaleido.

For the points of difference, the first is the slimmer profile. To achieve this, we use high-quality and compact motors to reduce the weight. Kaleido weighs around 80 kg, but Friends is only around 55 kg. Furthermore, the compact motors make installation in the slim body of Friends possible. The height is also around 160 cm tall, Friends is smaller than Kaleido, which is about 180 cm.

We have to aim for a slimmer design, but we also have the pride of Kawasaki as a manufacturer of industrial robots, so we cannot make something that would soon break. We pursued a fine balance on Friends between the quality necessary for use in industry and a slimmer design.

Furthermore, as we assume collaborative work with humans, the concept of collaborative robots is one of the features of Friends, such as not trapping a human’s hand as he or she gets close.

ー　The design is also one that will not make the people around the robot feel afraid.

Yes, that’s true. That is of course necessary for collaborative work with a human, but also because we believe that what people will demand of robots in the future will go beyond just labor.

For example, when AI advances further, when you talk to “These flowers are pretty, don’t you think?” but the AI cannot go out somewhere with you.

However, a humanoid robot equipped with AI could live together with people. We believe that scenarios such as that might even become reality before use for labor. We made a particular effort for the acceptance of Friends by people, such as external appearance and facial expressions.

ー　Friends will be exhibited for the first time at iREX2022 (International Robot Exhibition 2022). Tell us the points to look out for at the exhibition.

We will showcase a practical application in a nursing care setting and will give a demonstration where Friends will push a wheelchair and have a conversation with an elderly person. Friends also play an entertainment performance where it will appear on the stage and dance with music.
The key technical point for this demonstration is the motion capture technology. A human shows a movement first and then the robot reproduces that movement.

Previously we programmed on a computer to operate a robot. However, this work is no longer necessary, as it will become possible to program intuitively. We chose dancing this time because we wanted people to see the movement of Friends, but teaching using motion capture can be used in a variety of situations.

Four-legged robot RHP Bex (hereinafter called “BEX”)

ー　The RHP Bex is also something that will be revealed for the first time. Tell us the background of the development.

Through the development of Kaleido, we felt the difficulty of robots that walk on two legs. Because humanoid robots have the same form as humans, they have the possibility of eventually being able to do everything that humans can and having great versatility. However, it will probably still be a long time before we see their practical use.

On the other hand, we are also developing the service robot Nyokkey that moves autonomously on wheels, and are able to move to the demonstration testing phase in about a year. It was possible to develop it in a short period of time, but when it comes to mobility over uneven ground, it is inevitably legs that are more appropriate than wheels. There must be an area in between a humanoid robot and Nyokkey. We thought that there may also be business opportunities in that area.

It was for that reason that we started the development of the Bex robot that walks on four legs. We believe that the walking technology we have developed for humanoid robots will definitely also be applicable to four-legged robots.

ー　What kind of situations will Bex be used in?

First, we are assuming light payloads such as transporting materials in a construction site. We are currently conducting the development with the target of a 100 kg maximum payload.

Another area is inspections. A possible method of use would be for Bex to patrol around the vast area of a plant and to check current state of measuring instruments by checking the camera images from a remote location. Another possible method of use would be for Bex to transport the crops that people have harvested on agricultural land.

Kawasaki has positioned this Bex as one of the humanoid robots and is currently advancing its development. There are already four-legged robots, but there are not many robots with arms like a humanoid. We believe that this is the significance of working on four-legged robots at Kawasaki, which has been striving for the development of humanoid robots.

On the other hand, even though the base is a humanoid robot, the upper half of Bex is not fixed. We want to go on to adapt it to various applications. We will form partnerships and leave the upper half up to the other partners, which could be a construction company in the case of a construction site, or a plant manufacturer in the case of use in a plant. Kawasaki will focus efforts on the four legs that form the lower half of the body and we want to offer it as an open innovation platform.

ー　Tell us the points to look out for in the Bex exhibit at iREX.

The Kaleido weighs 80 kg. Its two legs support 80 kg. On the contrary, Bex has four legs, which are potentially capable of supporting 160 kg. We will demonstrate a human ride on the Bex. At iREX, come and see not only Kaleido, but also to its sibling Friends, and to Bex.

RELATED CONTENTS

• [Robust Humanoid Platform]What is different about the 7th generation Kaleido?

What is Kaleido?

“Kaleido” is the humanoid robot (human type robot) that Kawasaki is researching and developing. It has a high level of durability based on the technologies of Kawasaki, which has a history of over 50 years in the industrial robot sector. It has a physical size roughly equivalent to that of an adult human, but has a robust structure such that it does not break even if it falls over. We are aiming for its practical application in the future. It is 180 cm high and weighs 80 kg.

What is different about the 7th generation Kaleido?

ー　Tell us about the key points of the improved 7th generation Kaleido.

On the previous versions, we were first aiming to realize Kaleido walking on two legs. Although we succeeded in that, ordinary persons expect humanoid robots to move naturally in the same way as humans. We had not yet reached that level on the previous Kaleido.

What we were pursuing in this update of Kaleido were the aspects of “walking and moving like a human”. At the iREX this time, I would like the visitors to pay attention to the natural and quick movements of the RHP7.

ー　What does it mean specifically by walking and moving like a human?

In engineering theory, robots that walk on two legs can only walk while bending their knees. However, humans can walk easily with their knees straight. Also, humans land on their heels and push off with their toes to walk. This is just something we take for granted, but it is an operation that is very difficult to perform with the foot of a robot, which is made with a rigid body.

Among these constraints, we succeeded in having Kaleido walk at a speed of 4 km per hour, which is the average walking speed of humans. If you watch the RHP7 walking, you should get a sense of how it walks more smoothly than before.

The background to this achievement of quick walking is a technology called “dynamic behavior support”. As the opposite of this, “static behavior support” is to ensure that when standing on two feet, the center of gravity is always in the center of the body. When walking, this must be done slowly to achieve balance. On the other hand, with “dynamic behavior support”, it is possible to proactively perform movements so that the center of gravity shifts away from the leg that is supporting the body. The unstable state can be stabilized with the control to realize movements closer to that of humans.

Robustness to be able to fail

ー　Tell us the key points in the development.

First was what I just said about the control technology to stabilize the unstable state. In order to move in an unstable state, work is necessary to first predict what kind of instability will occur, and then to rapidly control that instability to stabilize. The technology required for that control is considerably advanced.

Also, the development is a steady work with repeated failures. The robot falls over multiple times during the development process, so it is very important that the body does not break. From the beginning, the RHP name is an abbreviation of Robust Humanoid Platform. Robust means strong and sturdy. It has a robust structure that is unlikely to break, but even so, the body may suffer damage when repeating tests where the balance is actively disturbed. For this reason, it was necessary to make improvements for a body that was even more difficult to break.

For an open platform to improve humanoid technology

ー　Kaleido has come closer to human-like movements, so what are the things to watch out for at the iREX exhibition?

Our ultimate aim is the implementation of humanoid robots in society. To achieve this, we are asking what would happen if we had Kaleido perform work. Our exhibit assumes actual hazardous work.

The first of these is work in a high place in a construction site. At present, this high-place work is performed by humans. Even with a lifeline, it is still work that is dangerous. We would like robots to perform that kind of work. In the exhibition this time, Kaleido will be hoisted up and perform work in a swinging state.

In another exhibit, Kaleido goes up on a balance beam and maintains balance while walking. It jumps down from there. You can see the “dynamic behavior support” I just talked about in an easy way.

From now on, I want Kaleido to go beyond Kawasaki to proceed the development and to be implemented in society in collaboration with many universities and companies. If we can cooperate with partners to further develop the humanoid robot technology as a platform, we welcome both Japanese and foreign parties. I would definitely like researchers to feel the potential of Kaleido through this “dynamic behavior support”.

open-innovation space for robots
YouComeLab

Issues for robot development

There are demands for the implementation of robots in society for reasons such as labor force decline and the coronavirus crisis. On the other hand, there are various barriers to robot development, including the cost, auxiliary equipment, trouble support and repairs. Development is difficult at companies that are not robot manufacturers, and there have been issues such as that even if a robot manufacturer was requested to make a prototype, it was not possible to obtain the data for improvements.

YouComeLab　ー　A space where the development of new technology and new products can be conducted casually and easily with Kawasaki robots.

Kawasaki will establish YouComeLab as a venue for open innovation with institutions in various specialist areas, such as AI, machine learning, advanced sensors, advanced control, and new materials.

The planned installations at YouComeLab include the humanoid robot Kaleido and other Kawasaki robots such as the remote collaboration system, the Successor. It will be possible for institutions such as companies and universities to use these robots to pursue their development themselves.

Merits of YouComeLab

Robot and equipment use Free of charge
During startup and troubleshooting Regularly stationed experts will give in-person lectures
Sophisticated systems Joint trials with Kawasaki

This has been in operation in our Akashi Works since April 2021. A new one will be opened in Haneda, Tokyo in April 2022, and another one in Nagakute, Nagoya in fiscal 2022. In the future, we also want to establish overseas bases such as in Silicon Valley, Beijing, Paris and elsewhere. Kawasaki will promote collaborations with many partners to realize the society where humans and robots co-exist and mutually prosper.

関連リンク

• [Robust Humanoid Platform]Human coexistence type humanoid robot the RHP Friends

What is different about the 7th generation Kaleido?

“Kaleido” is a humanoid robot that brings together the technologies of Kawasaki, which has been producing industrial robots for more than half a century. We started the development of Kaleido in 2015 and announced the first generation in 2017. Ever since then, we have continued to produce new versions and the 7th generation, the RHP7 (Robust Humanoid Platform 7), will be launched at iREX2022 (International Robot Exhibition 2022). We spoke to the person responsible for the development, Masayuki Kamon (PhD in Engineering) about the main points to watch on the latest Kaleido version.

Human coexistence type humanoid robot the RHP Friends

Ever since starting the development in 2015, there have been various new versions of the Kawasaki Robust Humanoid Platform (hereinafter called “RHP”) Kaleido. In order to quickly return the technology developed in Kaleido to society, we are currently developing two robots as derivatives of Kaleido. These are the slim type humanoid robot “Friends” and the “Bex” robot that walks on four legs. What was the real intention behind the development of these two robots? We interviewed the person responsible for the development, Masayuki Kamon (PhD in Engineering).

USECASE

• Improvement of robot system integration efficiency
• Creation of new value through data utilization (Examples: Manufacturing sites, restaurants, healthcare fields, and logistics fields)

Improvement of robot system integration efficiency

ー　Data retrieval(For example, the case of gripper selection)

ー　Design of the entire system

In this way, ROBO CROSS enables the utilization of data and the virtual space to greatly contribute to more efficient robot system integration and can greatly reduce the time and effort required for system setups.

Creation of new value through data utilization

ー　Manufacturing site use cases

• Collection of production line information by robots
• Remote support of investigation and recovery when an error occurs
• Integrated management of multiple sites
• Proposing continuous improvements to the production line

ー　Restaurant use cases

• Collection of order information by robot
• Prediction of next orders and preparing food
• Reduced food loss by thoroughly managing the foodstuffs

ー　Healthcare field use cases

• Collection of the health status of each person by robot
• Supports for remote examination
• Coordination of nursing services and delivery of meals tailored to the health status
• Planning the best course for staying healthy and walking with you

ー　Logistics field use cases

• Collection of the status of individual packages by robot
• Effective use of space through cooperation with the warehouse management system
• Detailed tracking of packages in cooperation with logistics management system

In this way, utilizing the data collected in ROBO CROSS makes it possible to provide useful services for the end user, including with overall optimization and detailed responses according to individual situations.

RELATED CONTENTS

• ROBO CROSS
• [ROBO CROSS]To Solve Social Issues with Robots

The robotics business of Kawasaki Heavy Industries has proposed automation and labor-saving solutions mainly for the manufacturing industry. On the other hand, there are still many social issues in the world. How can robots help to solve these social problems?
Kawasaki will cooperate with companies that are familiar with various issues and will work to expand the scope of robot utilization and to contribute to the solution of social issues through the utilization of the data collected by robots. The platform concept to realize this is the Kawasaki Robot Digital Platform, ROBO CROSS.

What is ROBO CROSS?

“An open development environment for the efficient creation of robot systems” , “A data utilization base to create value from the data collected by robots” It is a platform with two functions.

Improvement of robot system integration efficiency

Data retrieval

Sharing of reference data for robots, peripheral equipment, and system design

Virtual commissioning

Constructions of robot systems in digital space and perform verification under various conditions

Reflection in the actual system

• Download of the data after the virtual commissioning to the actual machine to shorten the time for start-up adjustments

We provide an environment where various data related to robots can be shared, and robot systems can be developed efficiently in the digital space. We will prepare convenient functions to make it possible for the systems developed here to be transferred without alteration to the actual machine.

Each partner develops an application in their area of expertise, and the resulting technology (software and hardware) is accumulated on the platform.
The mechanism is such that the more partners there are that participate in this platform, the stronger it becomes.

Creation of new value through data utilization

• Collection of data on the robot work status and surrounding environment
• Also collaboration with other platforms
• Utilization of data for the continuous evolution of robot systems and for the improvement of overall efficiency

If a robot becomes a sensor and collects data, we hope that not only will this make it possible to improve robot systems and the processes before and after them, but also to go on to create new original value for our users.

For the realization of ROBO CROSS

Kawasaki has launched a number of initiatives to make a robot digital platform a reality.

K-AddOn

To facilitate the connection between robots and peripheral equipment, we collaborate with equipment manufacturers to provide manuals, software and application examples.

Point

• Kawasaki conducts everything up to the connection checks
• No need to design parts or software for the connection
• Checking the usage method in application videos

OLP

This is a tool to create a robot teaching program and check its operation in a simulation environment on a PC. This can shorten the time required for robot teaching in the field.

Point

• Accurate motion trajectory and cycle time are reproduced by simulation
• Interference checking, layout verification, and motion verification on multiple robots
• Teaching along complex workpiece shapes is also easy

K-COMMIT Kawasaki Robot ANSHIN Lifecycle Support

An accurate and economical maintenance package that consistently implements inspections, management, analysis, proposals, and maintenance for zero downtime. We propose the optimal maintenance plan for the robot operation, and contribute to minimize the lifecycle costs.

Point

• The TREND Manager (predictive maintenance tool) reduces robot downtime
• Trend management quantitative inspections (quantification of inspection results) produce accurate notification of the status of the robot
• Strengthening of the relationship with users of the K-CONNECT (communication tool)

関連リンク

• ROBO CROSS
• 【ROBO CROSS】ROBO CROSSが実現する「ロボットのある未来」

A new world of robotics created by Kawasaki Robotics. The key to this new world is the Kawasaki Robot Digital Platform “ROBO CROSS”
Mr. Takagi, Head of the Robotics Division, gives an overview of ROBO CROSS and discusses the new world created by Kawasaki Robotics.

To Solve Social Issues with Robots

The robotics business of Kawasaki Heavy Industries has proposed automation and labor-saving solutions mainly for the manufacturing industry. On the other hand, there are still many social issues in the world. How can robots help to solve these social problems?
Kawasaki will cooperate with companies that are familiar with various issues and will work to expand the scope of robot utilization and to contribute to the solution of social issues through the utilization of the data collected by robots. The platform concept to realize this is the Kawasaki Robot Digital Platform, ROBO CROSS.

A “future with robots” realized with ROBO CROSS

The two roles of ROBO CROSS ((1) Improve integration efficiency of robot systems, and (2) Create new value through data utilization) will be explained with use cases.

Taking on the challenge of the “barriers to warehouse entry and shipment”
in logistics automation

In recent years, factors such as the expansion of the EC market have led to increasingly serious labor shortages in the logistics industry. Logistics labor saving and automation are urgent tasks.

When we talk about logistics labor saving and automation, we tend to focus on transportation and delivery. However, in the series of logistics processes between the supplier, distribution center, and end user, it is actually the processes for warehouse receiving and shipment that require a lot of labor.

Kawasaki is aiming to automate logistics by providing solutions that achieve warehouse labor saving and automation in conjunction with near-future mobility.

Bottlenecks in warehouse automation

In recent years, “automated warehouses” have meant that automation has proceeded rapidly inside warehouses, in the processes from the incoming goods inspections to shipment goods inspections. However, the processes that occur before and after that are still being performed by human workers. These are the unloading, picking and palletizing processes.

Kawasaki’s logistics solutions

01. Automation of the unloading process

Problems in the conventional unloading process

In the unloading process, it is necessary to unload the cargo from a container that has been brought in on a trailer and to restack it. So, why hasn’t this process been automated? The problem has been with how the cargo is loaded in the container.

Inside the container, various boxes of different shapes and sizes are stacked in a way that will prevent the load from collapsing. This made it difficult for machinery to grasp the boxes and restack them.

Up until now, it has been necessary for human workers to go inside the container to pick up and load the cargo onto a belt conveyor that carried the cargo out, or to restack the cargo on a pallet for it to be carried out by a forklift truck.

Kawasaki’s proposed solution for the unloading process

Vambo devanning robot

An unloading/loading robot which combines a robot arm and an unmanned vehicle (AGV). It features a vertical articulated robot arm with a wide operating range and a large weight capacity, a vision sensor that recognizes mixed load cases, and a trackless unmanned vehicle (AGV) that transports the robot arm to the working position in a container of a transport truck.

Automation of the unloading process by Kawasaki
When the Vambo moves into the container, a vision sensor detects the shape of the boxes. It performs picking on boxes of various shapes and sizes with a hand shaped like a dustpan and a robot arm. The boxes can then be placed on a belt conveyor. A palletizing robot then waits at the end of the belt conveyor and transfers the cargo that is unloaded from the container to a pallet for a forklift truck, which completes the unloading. Kawasaki can automate all of these tasks.

02. Automation of the picking process

Problems in the conventional picking process

After the inspection of the items for shipping by the “automated warehouse,” the items are placed in a plastic container and delivered out. At present the automation is only up until this point. Human workers have been performing the work to remove the items from the plastic containers and repack them according to the destination, and the work to assemble and pack the boxes for shipping.

Kawasaki’s proposed solution for the picking process

duAro2 dual-arm SCARA robot

A dual-arm SCARA robot that can co-exist and perform collaborative work in the same space as humans. It can work in a compact installation space equivalent to that for one person, and its cart with casters and a built-in controller can be easily moved and installed. By utilizing both arms, it is possible to perform picking and repacking work on packages of various shapes and sizes.

RS013N six-axis vertical articulated robot

The RS013N is characterized by the three-dimensional movement of a vertical articulated robot.

Automation of the picking process by Kawasaki. Cargo packed in plastic containers after the completion of the shipping item inspection. The RS013N assembles boxes, and duAro2 performs the packing from the plastic containers into the boxes. This automates the picking and packing processes that have previously been done manually.

03. Automation of the palletizing process

Problems in the conventional palletizing process

The final process is work called palletizing, in which the boxes filled with cargo are loaded onto pallets. The loading must be quick, stable and withstand the pressure, and performing the work manually is a heavy burden.

Kawasaki’s proposed solution for the palletizing process

CP180L palletizing robot

This high-speed palletizing robot from Kawasaki boasts the industry’s fastest processing capacity. It supports the diverse needs of various industries, such as food, pharmaceuticals, and printed materials, as well as the production of diverse products in small quantities.

Automation of the palletizing process proposed by Kawasaki
The boxes brought on a conveyor are aligned in their designated positions by the RS series robot arm. The palletizing robot then quickly and accurately grasps the aligned boxes and stacks them appropriately on the pallet.

The “unloading,” “picking,” and “palletizing” processes in logistics have so far required a large number of human workers. Kawasaki will contribute to improved efficiency in supply chains by working on “automation and labor-saving” in these processes.

Japan is in an era of population decline. Robots have so far only been used in limited areas such as the manufacturing industry. However, they are expected to be required in various other industries in the future. One of those industries is the service industry. In addition to chronic labor shortages, the coronavirus crisis has also increased the severity of the business environment for companies. Robots for the service industry. To achieve this, Kawasaki is developing the service robot Nyokkey.

A robot for the service industry – “Nyokkey”

Nyokkey is an autonomous mobile type service robot. It has been developed to work together with humans. It　moves around in the same way as humans and performs work with two arms. Serving meals and clearing up dishes in a restaurant. Patrolling and supporting cleaning work in buildings. We are assuming applications in various scenarios. It is designed to have sufficient power to perform light works and to open and close doors while considering the safety of the people around.

Features of Nyokkey

Recognizing the location using LiDAR and vision sensors

With LiDAR, a laser beam is irradiated on the surrounding area and the reflections are used to create a map so that the robot can recognize its current location. In addition, object recognition using vision sensors is used to avoid collisions with people for safety.

Remote collaboration system “Successor”

The remote collaboration system, the Successor makes remote operations of a robot possible by using a communicator, which is a remote control device. Semi-automation is possible when performing operations that are difficult to automate, and switching to a remote operation from an automated operation or when an error occurs. This way, it is possible to respond to irregular situations. Skill transfer from humans to robots or vice versa is achieved by learning and memorizing the motions from the remote operations.

Autonomous traveling “AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robot)”

Compared with an AGV (Automatic Guided Vehicle), which travels along a preset route, an AMR can travel autonomously without setting the route. By setting the destination, the AMR judges the optimal route and moves based on the map information it has created itself and the surrounding environment.

Nyokkey as a co-creation platform

The premise for Nyokkey is that it will be adapted to suit the requirements. It is expected that the abilities and performance demanded of service robots will be even more diverse than those demanded of industrial robots. Based on the Nyokkey series hardware developed by Kawasaki, we will cooperate with various partners and go on to develop software that meets the needs in a quick development cycle. Nyokkey is a robot, and is also a platform.

Nyokkey development story

The development of Nyokkey began in the spring of 2021. In the situation where COVID-19 was wreaking havoc, we proceeded with the development as a patrol robot to watch over the patients in a hospital. The initial Nyokkey was to patrol the hospital rooms for remote checks of whether the patients were present and whether there had been any change in their conditions.

The purpose of Nyokkey was to reduce the infection risk for medical staffs and to support medical workplaces, which were under pressure. That development was conducted quickly and completed in less than a year from its beginning.

After that, further improvements were conducted and we arrived at the Nyokkey of today, which is designed with the assumption of a wide range of use in the service industry.

Examples of Nyokkey uses

Fujita Health University Hospital – Service robot demonstration testing

In January 2021, Kawasaki began demonstration testing for Nyokkey as one initiative in the smart hospital concept with the Fujita Health University Hospital.

In Phase 1, we conducted the transportation of goods such as specimens and pharmaceuticals, etc. within the same floor of the hospital, and movement to different floors with the assumption that a human would assist with the elevator operation.

In the current Phase 2, the verification is being performed for transportation between different floors using a robot that has arms, an autonomous mobile function and an elevator linkage function.

In Phase 3, we plan to conduct verification of a robot with multi-purpose arms performing work within the hospital, and verification of the collaboration with the hospital side systems.

Haneda Innovation City – Robot Cafe demonstration testing

At the end of April 2022, Kawasaki plans to open Future Lab HANEDA within Haneda Innovation City as a base to communicate information on robots. In the robot cafe named AI-SCAPE, we plan to conduct verification of Nyokkey recognizing the trays and tableware and performing the serving of meals and clearing up of dishes afterwards.

Kawasaki has a history of more than 50 years in the world of industrial robots. From now on, starting with applications to the service industry, for which the verification will be conducted at AI-SCAPE, we will offer robots for various workplaces to promote the implementation of robots in society in a way that goes beyond the framework of an industrial robot manufacturer.

RELATED CONTENTS

[Near-Future Mobility]

Labor shortages in logistics

The declining birth rate and aging population in Japan mean that an insufficient working population is becoming a serious social issue. In one estimate, it is predicted that in 2030, there will be 64.29 million people supplying labor against a labor demand of 70.73 million people. It is considered that there will be a labor shortage of 6.44 million people (Source: “Future estimates of the labor market 2030” by Persol Research and Consulting and Chuo University).

In the area of logistics too, the average age of workers in the logistics industry is increasing each year, while the number of home deliveries has expanded rapidly in recent years due to the spread of online shopping. It is expected that there will be a labor shortage in the future. In addition, the long working hours of delivery workers is considered a problem and there is a vicious circle where there are not enough workers, but the amount of work is increasing, so the working environment worsens. It is expected that this will get even worse from now on.

What is Near-Future Mobility?

We will create new values by combining the conventional mobility, including transportation of people and vehicles and transportation systems, with the technologies of Kawasaki such as unmanned operations, high road-handling abilities and robot arms. This is Kawasaki’s idea of Near-Future Mobility. In addition to the unmanned operation of logistics that has previously been performed by human hand, in the future, we also want to incorporate things such as the aviation technology that Kawasaki has strengths in, to improve productivity through higher logistics efficiency in terms of distance, volume and time.

Unmanned VTOL aircraft and delivery robots to realize solution concepts for the last one mile

One aspect of the world that Kawasaki is attempting to realize with Near-Future Mobility is the automation of the last one mile* through unmanned goods transportation using unmanned VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft) and delivery robots.

*Last one mile … The final point of contact in the delivery of products from the delivery origin to the delivery destination

Unmanned VTOL aircraft overview

Unmanned VTOL aircraft: K-RACER-X1
Drive system: Reciprocating engine (Ninja H2R supercharged engine)
Flight method: Vertical take-off and landing
Control method: Automated flight
Max. payload: 100 kg

The K-RACER was originally developed with the assumption of use for transportation in mountainous areas. It is a solution that combines the Kawasaki helicopter technology with a compact high-power engine developed for motorcycles. It has already reached a maximum payload of 100 kg and development is progressing with the target of reaching 200 kg in the future.

The K-RACER can transport the cargo from the delivery origin of the cargo to a location close to the delivery destination, without needing to go via a relay location. It is not affected by the traffic congestion that occurs in large cities and at the time of natural disasters. It realizes accurate deliveries on time. K-RACER can also be used for deliveries in large delivery areas where a long distance must be moved, such as delivery from a city area to a regional area.

Delivery robot outline

Features of the delivery robot

1. Unmanned autonomous travel The robot is aware of the surrounding environment and can travel unmanned along the most appropriate route
2. High payload capacity A high payload capacity realizes transportation with efficient costs
3. Lightweight design The robot can be easily pushed to move and lifted up by human hand
4. Road handling Excellent road-handling ability makes travel possible on uneven public roads and unpaved roads
5. Remote communications The use of a monitor and a camera makes communications possible from a remote location

The delivery robot for the coordination in the last one mile to the delivery destination is a robot that combines Kawasaki robotics technology with the road-handling ability of a four-wheeled buggy. Technologies developed for motorcycles for size and weight reduction and a suspension that has high road-handling ability are combined with arm control and environmental recognition developed for robots. Our development includes not only deliveries, but also the handing over of cargo and light work tasks.

Initiatives for the realization of unmanned cargo transportation

Kawasaki has already succeeded in proof-of-concept (PoC) testing for these initiatives. We implement the sequence of actions in which a delivery robot loaded with cargo automatically boards the unmanned VTOL aircraft, the aircraft flies and lands autonomously with the delivery robot onboard, and then the delivery robot automatically disembarks and delivers the cargo.

Near-Future Mobility also in use in medical workplaces

Kawasaki’s Near-Future Mobility is also starting to spread to various other scenarios. One of the initiatives for the smart hospital concept at the Fujita Health University Hospital (Toyoake City, Aichi Prefecture) is to link Kawasaki delivery robots with the infrastructure and IT systems inside the hospital. We have started demonstration testing aiming for utilization for the transportation of goods such as specimens and pharmaceuticals within the hospital, while securing safety and peace of mind.

We plan to gradually expand the scope of use in the future, such as to include guiding people around the hospital and performing shopping on a person’s behalf. We are looking to start actual operations within the hospital within fiscal 2022 and are steadily advancing proof-of-concept.

A robot that goes beyond the manufacturing industry – “Nyokkey”

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[Near-Future Mobility]A robot that goes beyond the manufacturing industry – “Nyokkey”

hinotori™ Surgical Robot System

Medicaroid Corporation was established in 2013 as a joint venture between Kawasaki, which has a great variety of technology and expertise accumulated since starting the production of Japan’s first industrial robot in 1969, and Sysmex, which has technology in testing and diagnosis and an extensive network in the medical sector. We developed the “hinotori™ Surgical Robot System” as Japan’s first robotic system to assist surgery. The name comes from the famous series by Osamu Tezuka called “HINOTORI” (Phoenix). Tezuka was one of the greatest manga artists of Japan and also held a medical license, and he continued to write the series throughout his life.

Multiple unit configuration “hinotori™”

hinotori™ is composed of the three units of the “Surgeon Cockpit”, “Operation Unit” and “Vision Unit”.

Surgeon Cockpit

The surgeon uses hands and feet to operate an endoscope camera and surgical instruments while looking into a 3D viewer. The burden during the surgery is reduced with ergonomic design that fits the postures of the surgeon. This supports stress-free surgery.

Operation Unit

The Operation Unit performs the surgery based on the operations from the Surgeon Cockpit.The robot arms apply the technology of the dual-arm SCARA robot “duAro” from Kawasaki. The compact design close to the size of human arms reduces the interference between arms and between the arms and assisting doctors. This supports smooth surgery.

Vision Unit

This integrates the images displayed in the Surgeon Cockpit and controls the audio. In addition to displaying the high-definition endoscope images in 3D, it also supports smooth communications between the surgeon and surgical staffs.

Remote surgery in combination with communications technology

We have combined hinotori™ with communications technology and begun demonstration testing for remote surgery with the guidance and cooperation of various related personnel.

The anticipation for this demonstration testing is a system that will enable skilled surgeons to perform surgical operations in regional areas remotely, and to provide remote guidance and support to young surgeons in regional areas. The aim of this is to improve the labor shortage in surgical medical care in the regions, and to equalize the level of surgical medical care throughout Japan.