The Robot Award

Economy, Trade andIndustry Minister Award

Collaborative Robot CRX
FANUC Corporation

A collaborative robot that is easy to use,even on the first try.

■Outlinea maintenance-free arm that is dustproof and drip-proof. It canincreasingly insufficient labor force, and demand for a collaborative

tough environments where it is exposed to water and oil.

Along with the aging population and low birthrate comes anrobot that can be automatized without a safety barrier in the manual

be used with peace of mind because it won’t break, even in

manufacturing field is growing rapidly. However, despite thisincrease in demand, collaborative robots have still not yet become

sufficiently widespread. The biggest reason that there has not yet
been a collaborative robot that is both as easy as a smartphone ora toy to use and is highly reliable, safe, and doesn’t break, even forworkplaces where robots are not yet commonplace. With an aim tosolve this issue, the Collaborative Robot CRX is a new robot
developed to be safe, easy to use, and highly reliable. Even

first-time users can easily operate it, and it has a simple, flexible
automation that allows people and robots to divide the labor.

■Characteristics of Collaborative Robot CRX

The Collaborative Robot CRX has three major characteristics:
safety, ease of use, and high reliability.

(1) Safety

This began with the design, creating a rounded exterior that gives

people a feeling of safety and willingness to work with it. A highly
sensitive contact stop function ensures that the machine stops

smoothly and safely with a light touch. The gap between the arms

is large enough to prevent a person’s arm from being caught. It is

Direct teaching and tablet operation

ISO 10218-1 certified for safety and can be used with confidence.

(2) Ease of use

The arm has been made as light as possible, it can be carried
and installed by hand, and can be powered by AC100V,

making it easy to install in any production site. The robot can be
operated intuitively even if the operator is not familiar withrobots. Users can create a teaching program through dragging
and dropping icons with a finger, just like on a smartphone ortablet, without any specialized knowledge.

(3) High reliability

The highly-reliable design developed over many years includes■Achievements, development

In addition to the labor shortage, in this time of COVID-19, replacingsome jobs where people work closely together with the

Collaborative Robot CRX makes it possible to add more distance

between people and avoid crowded conditions, which has made itvery well-received. Demand is growing rapidly, and production
capacity for the end of 2021 is scheduled to be three times higher

than the present. The Collaborative Robot CRX responds to rapidlychanging automation needs with its small footprint and ease of usethat even first-time robot users can quickly learn.

Contact:

FANUC Corporation

Address: 3580 Shibokusa, Oshino-mura, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi Prefecture
Masahiro Morioka, ROBOT Mechanical Research and Development Division
Tel: 0555-84-6919
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The Robot AwardInternal Affairs andCommunications Minister Award

Family Robot, “LOVOT”
Groove X, Inc.

A home robot that stirs your instinct
to love “LOVOT”■Outlinepromotes feelings of peace of mind). This robot was developed withuses technology to pursue not the usual robot qualities like

comfort that pets give to humans.

The LOVOT is a family robot that stirs the instinct to love. LOVOT
efficiency and convenience, but a feeling of comfort and charming

the idea of using the latest robot technology to reproduce thebehavior when it is held. It gently influences people’s feelings and■Achievements, development

people energy to face tomorrow.

the latest technology comes together, LOVAT won the Innovation

helps them feel happy. It draws out the power of love and gives
LOVOT is filled with the technology that satisfies the conditions

necessary for cuddling, which is essential for nurturing attachmentwith its beloved owner. Just like animals, the skin softly covers askeleton, and the tires smoothly emerge from the body . In order for

it to maintain a comfortable body temperature, it is also fitted with aheat mechanism. The upturned face is a sign that it wants to be
held. The indents and round bottom of the body make it easy tohold and carry. The shape is based on two stacked spheres which
gives it a natural form and contributes to improving the overallemotion expression of the body. Developers overcame the difficult

task of including over 50 sensors to allow it to accurately grasp its
owner’s whereabouts, while also retaining a huggable form.

Although it is not alive, it moves independently, gets attached, andAt the CES 2020, one of the largest exhibitions in the world, whereAward which is presented to products that are particularly

outstanding, and was also selected for awards selected by top world
media such as Refinery29 and Ici TOU TV. Additionally, it won the

Cool Japan Award 2019, the Japan Society of Kansei Engineering(JSKE) Kawaii Award 2019, Japan Media Arts Festival Jury Selection,2020 Good Design Gold Award, and more. In addition to its cuteappearance, simple movements, and its warmth, softness, and gaze
when held, it was also given high praise for its functional value withfeatures that protect loved-ones such as keeping watch and staying

home alone. Expectations are high not just for consumer appeal but
also for implementation at welfare facilities, medical institutions,educational institutions and companies.

asks to be cuddled, which results in an lifelike presence that people
can love without hesitation.

■Social needs

Generally, technology has made people happy by improving

productivity. However, in contemporary society, there are more

nuclear families and people living alone, and personal space isbecoming more important, resulting in increased isolation andloneliness. Under these conditions, keeping in mind our aging

society and the threat of yet-unknown viruses, it is becoming more
important to soothe people directly rather than focusing on

improving productivity. In order to soothe feelings of loneliness andisolation, people need an object they can love without hesitation.
One option is a pet. By interacting with pets and forming

attachments with them, people secrete oxytocin (a hormone that

LOVOT at work in a variety of situations

Contact:

Groove X, Inc.

Address: Sumitomo Fudosan Hamacho Building, 3-42-3 Nihonbashi-Hamacho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Miki Ikenoue, Public Relations
Tel: 080-9884-7956 E-mail: press@groove-x.com
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The Robot AwardMEXT Minister Award

Asteroid Explorer Hayabusa 2
Asteroid Exploration Robot
MINERVA-Ⅱ
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
Hayabusa 2 Project TeamMINERVA-Ⅱ Project Team

Sample return mission
from deep space©AKIHIRO IKESHITA■Deep space exploration robotics technology ahead of the world
Outer space is a region that humans can’t generally just reach out

and touch, so we have continued to make mistakes, unable to workboard the robots had algorithms enabling them to operatecompletely autonomously without commands from Earth.

towards success with trial-and-error, but instead requiring highly■The world’s first celestial body surface exploration robot

humans have never gone and careful investigation is required, highon September 21, 2018. Rover 1A observed the asteroid’s surface

reliable spacecraft. However, with deep space, a place wherereliability must be combined with ambitious exploration, combining
two essentially opposing ideas. In this unique environment,

Hayabusa 2 succeeded in touching down and gathering samples
twice, flexibly adapting to the unknown environment that only
became known upon arrival andmaintaining a steady level ofdays) until October 26, 2018. It sent a total of 609 images of thesurface of the asteroid to Earth. During that time, it covered
approximately ¼ of the asteroid’s surface.

Rover 1B was active from September 24, 2018 for ten asteroid days,
This feat was the world’s firsttwo methods: the Human in the Loopmobile exploration of the surface

method which is based onof a small celestial body in ourcommands from Earth, andsolar system. The robots wereautonomous functions of thealso the first from Japan tospacecraft such as the event-driven

directly explore the surface of acontrol sequence function andmarkers.

from multiple locations for 113 asteroid days (approximately 35 Earthand took 39 images.

reliability. It was controlled throughartificial features such as target

The two robots were launched from the mother ship to the asteroid

celestial body.
Hayabusa 2 tracking
the target marker

Image shot by MINERVA-Ⅱ■Compact and light autonomous exploration robot MINERVA-Ⅱ
The MINERVA-II are twin robots that were put on board Hayabusa

2, with the goal of performing mobile exploration on the surface of
the asteroid Ryugu, which is just under 1km in size.

The robots are 18cm in diameter and 7cm tall (excluding

protrusions), and each one is extremely small and light with a massof just over 1.1kg. They are powered by solar cells attached to thesurface. The robots are equipped with mechanisms, cameras,
sensors, and radios to move by hops in the very small gravity

environment of the asteroid surface (approximately 1/100,000
compared to Earth).

Rover 1A (Hibou)

Since there was a big communication time lag (approximately 40

minutes round trip) between the asteroid and earth, the software on

Rover 1B (Owl)

Two MINERVA-Ⅱ robots

Contact:

JAXA Institute of Space and Astronautical Science
Address: 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo-ku,
Sagamihara, Kanagawa(Hayabusa 2) Yuya Mimasu
Tel: 070-3177-7030(MINERVA-Ⅱ) Tetsuo Yoshimitsu Tel: 042-759-8304
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E-mail: mimasu.yuya@jaxa.jp
E-mail: kikko@nnl.isas.jaxa.jp

The Robot Award

Health, Labour andWelfare Minister Prize

Mobility Support RobotHUG T1-02
FUJI Corporation

Supporting mobility by using anapparatus to assist standing■Outline of mobility support robot Hug

Fuji Corporation developed mobility support robot Hug in order toreduce the burden on caregivers with funding from the Project toPromote the Development and Standardization of Robotic Devices
for Nursing Care conducted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade andIndustry and AMED. It aids people who have difficulty standing byhelping them to transfer (move) from a bed to a wheelchair or otherlocations such as the bathroom.
When moving, the care receiver leans forward against Hug, and the
caregiver pushes the “stand” button to start the stand movement.
Hug T1-02 retains the original concept while renewing the design tomake it an even more acceptable product for both care receivers
and caregivers.
It not only reduces the burden on caregivers, but can also support
the care receiver in continuing to live life with a high degree of
independence.

■Practicality in a caregiving environment
1. Uses and maintains the strength of the care receiver

Hug has the user lean forward and helps them to stand up by
supporting the chest and raising the buttocks. A two-axis motor
works in concert to help the part supporting the chest move in anatural standing motion. Standing up with Hug uses the same
movement as a person standing up, shifting the center of gravity
to the feet. The caregiver can talk to the care receiver while
using the machine to enable the receiver to be aware ofstanding and participate in the movement.

easier to take care of bathroom needs such as removing trousers,
wiping the buttocks, and changing diapers. The device is compact
and lightweight, making it easy to maneuver even in an enclosed
space. When sitting on the toilet, leaning on the Hug can help withbowel movements by applying pressure on the abdomen.

4. Simple operation

It is operated with just two buttons: “Stand” and “Sit” which makes
it easy to use even without any specialized robot knowledge. It’s
easy to implement at care facilities, assisting work quickly andefficiently without getting in the way of other tasks. For families
doing in-home care, the device can be used without having tospend time and energy figuring out how to use it.

5. Reduces falling risk

Hug supports a specific stable movement and operates nomatter the ability or strength of the caregiver, reducing risk offalling. It lets the care receiver down gently, reducing risk ofcompression fractures.

■Implementation and spread

Since sales began, approximately 200 Hug T1-02 units have been
put into use, and over one thousand units for the series overall.
Helping a person get up and move to another place, and helping
them in the bathroom is extremely physically demanding work.
Hopefully this device can be implemented and used in more andmore situations in order to reduce the burden on caregivers andhelp care receivers live long, comfortable lives.

2. Reduced burden and change in awareness

By leaving heavy lifting up to Hug, the caregiver no longer has tospend energy lifting and can focus on other aspects of care.
From the perspective of the care receiver, they go from being
lifted by a caregiver to using a device to stand, changing theirimage of the role of caregiver from “a person who lifts me up” to“a person who cares for me.” This also helps eliminate the issueof care receivers feeling reluctant to move because of thephysical burden it places on the caregiver.

3. Makes going to the bathroom easie

By enabling the care receiver to stay in a standing position, it isBathroom usage example

Contact:

Fuji Corporation

Address: Chausuyama 19, Yamamachi, Chiryu City, Aichi
Robotic Solutions Division, Sales Department, Sales Section 2
Tel: 0566-55-8800 E-mail: hug@fuji.co.jp
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The Robot Award

Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries Minister Prize

Next Generation Agriculture Partnership
Through automated vegetable harvesting robots
And RaaS modeling.
inaho Inc.

Changing the future of
agriculture through technology■Management issues and labor shortages affecting Japan’s
agriculture

require selective harvesting such as asparagus, tomatoes,

years due to the aging population. There is already a labor

automatic harvesting had not made much progress in this field. At

Agriculture in Japan is projected to decrease by half in the next 15
shortage preventing expansion of cultivated land, and many
farmers do not expect to improve their yields.

Agriculture is considered to be hard labor with few breaks, but infact when it comes to production of certain vegetables, somerequire daily harvesting for over half of the year. inaho has beenworking to develop technology such as AI (artificial intelligence) to

provide robots that can act in place of people to harvest crops andmake more time for farmers.

eggplants, cucumbers, and so on are difficult for machines todetermine whether a specimen is ready to harvest, so until now
inaho, a robot has been developed that uses AI to determine
whether to harvest or not, which has made it possible to automate

the harvest. An automatic harvesting robot that collects asparagus
was implemented, and it has been providing its services in Saga
prefecture since September 2019.

■Outline of robot structure and automatic harvesting service
The robot has an electrically-powered cart, a camera and sensor todetermine what to harvest, and an arm to do the harvesting. It■Crops that can be harvested by the inaho robot

works via these three steps of moving, exploring, and harvesting. It

is ready for harvest all at once and can be harvested together ismatches the harvesting standards with the shipping standards andinaho divides crops into two categories. Harvesting of produce thatcalled “batch harvesting” and harvesting of produce that grows at
different rates and must be harvested as it ripens is called“selective harvesting.” Crops such as rice and potatoes are

harvested using batch harvesting. A harvester is used to collect it
all at once, and the work is not strenuous. However, crops that

asparagus,

okra

green
onionscarrots

potatoes,seconds per stick, and it is powered by a battery that can berecharged on a household outlet.

Rather than selling the robots, inaho provides them as a service

using the Raas (Robot as a Service) model. Consumers can choose
to pay a fixed rate or pay a flexible rate based on harvest volume.
agricultural machines, there is low setup and maintenance cost,strawberries
shitakemushrooms

green beans

peaas

lettuce,rice

can be set in one-centimeter increments. The harvest speed is 12

Compared to the traditional business custom of purchasing

Selective harvesting
Batch harvestingis equipped with a light so it can work at night. With asparagus, it

and the period of use is flexible.

The company is considering doing consulting with consumers toprovide advice on the best field environment for harvesting using
data gathered while working, in order to use the robots more

effectively. The types of harvesting will be expanded to include

tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries, eggplants, green peppers, andcucumbers

green
peppers

eggplants

tomatoes

more, while also working to lighten the load of other farming

operations such as pest control, leaf raking, and transportation. As

a service provider working together with producers, the company

onions,hopes to change the future of agriculture with the power oftechnology to improve productivity.

Batch harvesting and Selective harvestingContact:

inaho Inc.
Address: 1-15-2 Komachi, Kamakura City, Kanagawa
PR Yu Kaneta Tel: 0467-67-0561 E-mail: info@inaho.co
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The Robot Award

Land, Infrastructure andTransport Minister Award↓Control panel

Concrete tunnel lining
Automatic construction robot system↓Driving nozzle insertion port

↓Driving nozzle←Driving nozzle moving cart

West Nippon Expressway Company/
Shimizu Corporation/
Gifu Industry Co., Ltd.

画像未入稿
Movable pipes→←Moving cart moving rail

Automatic concrete tunnel lining
construction robot system achieves
high quality concrete linings■Outline of automatic concrete tunnel lining construction
robot system

The automatic concrete tunnel lining construction robot system
automatically controls the progress of a series of operations, fromplacing, compaction, stopping, and demolding of concrete lining
used in mountain tunnels. It consists of a manipulator-type placing
device and a computer system that controls the formwork vibrator
automatically.
A characteristic of this technology is that it is an automaticconstruction method that makes use of the flow characteristics of
medium-flow concrete lining. Fresh concrete with excellent fluidity
and no material separation is automatically poured using theblow-up method into the movable formwork using acomputer-controlled concrete pump and a manipulator-type
placing device, and the pattern is automatically compacted using aformwork vibrator. The construction status and compaction status
are constantly quantified and visualized by various sensors, whichmakes it possible to determine when to move on to the next sectionand enables automatic operation.
Medium-flow
Concrete Lining
JIS Ready-mixed
Concrete Plant
Concrete Pump Car

SystemOperation

Computer/Tablet System
Automatic Control
by Construction Pattern

PO System

Planning Database /Implementation Database

Mobile Framework
Manipulator-type
Automatic Placing Device
with Movable Pipes(Placing Openings in 11 Locations,Blow-up Method)

System Function Configuration

Formwork Vibrator System(Six sections on each side×
five columns configuration)

Simultaneous compaction on
five columns by section

Visualization with avariety of sensors
Concrete height

Full view of the systemcompacting concrete in narrow spaces. This is the reason fordeveloping a machine that mechanizes the work of placing andcompacting the concrete lining, in order to free workers fromtedious work and dramatically improve the quality and speed oftunnel construction.

■Results gained by introducing the system

The introduction of this system enables the construction of dense,
solid, and high-quality concrete lining that reaches the target
quality, has no variation in strength distribution and surface
properties, and has a good surface finish.
With the mechanical construction via computer system, manual
work is replaced by mechanical work, and the role of the workers
changes greatly, to that of checking the construction status andmonitoring the system■Future developments

The accumulated measured data will be analyzed and developed
into a learning-type automatic concrete lining construction systemthat can respond to changes in the properties of fresh concrete,
which will be developed into a common technology for mountaintunnel lining, and contribute to the establishment of lining
technology.

■On-site implementation

As of December 2020, the system has been installed at three sites(total 911m, 9,257m3), and there are plans to introduce the system
to many more sites in the future.

•Placing pressure, temperature,amount placed•Compaction energy, etc.
Measured in Real-Time■Development background

Concrete lining in mountain tunnel construction has until now
depended on the experience and intuition of skilled workers, andensuring the quality of construction has become a serious
challenge. As many of these skilled workers begin to retire, there isalso a need for measures to reduce the workload of concrete lining
construction as skilled workers are most needed for placing and

System operation screen

Contact:

Shimizu Corporation

Address: 2-16-1 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Yasuo Ide, Underground Space Management Department, Civil Engineering Headquarters
Tel: 03-3561-1111 (main number) E-mail: y-ide@shimz.co.jp
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The Robot Award

SME Venture Prize(Small and Medium Enterprise
Agency Director-General Award)

Collaborative Transportation Robot
Thouzer Series
Doog Inc.

A collaborative transportation robot thatcan be easily used by anyone.

■Functionality and characteristics of the Thouzer series

can be done by the Thouzer using line tracing and automatedconventional AGVs in that it has a line travelling function, but it also

double the labor a human could, making it possible to have a

The Thouzer collaborative transportation robot is similar to
has automatic tracking and memory tracing functions. The

by memory tracing. The Thouzer can also pull another cart to do
more efficient operation with fewer people.

automatic tracking function uses an infrared laser sensor (LiDAR) to

2. Reduced burden on workers: By having the Thouzer do theperson as they move. It can follow the operator anywhere while

long distances by the workers is reduced, making their physicalrecognize a person standing in front of it, and then tracks the
avoiding obstacles, and its carrying capacity can be flexibly

expanded by connecting multiple Thouzers in a row. The memory

trace traveling function, a unique technology developed by Doog,
enables autonomous traveling by storing the route traveled bytransport work, the labor of moving heavy objects and walking
burden lighter.

3. Avoidance of contact: In particular with COVID-19, deliveries
can be made without direct contact with people, for example toplaces where infected people are staying.

following the operator and tracing the memory. All the operator has

People at places where the Thouzer has been implemented havethe operator while saving LiDAR data frame by frame, memorizing

operational flexibility.

to do is push the memory tracing button, and the Thouzer will follow
the scenery around the route it has traveled. Once the route has

praised it for its easy implementation, easy operation, andbeen travelled once and memorized, the operator can push the■To every corner of society, through a variety of partners

route, referring to the memorized scenery. While generalpartners. Doog provides base units and technical information for

replay route start button to have it autonomously travel the same
SLAM-type guideless AGVs require specialized technicians to buildand change maps, that method is time-consuming and costly. The
memory tracing system enables workers onsite to simply walk theroute once and store it in the Thouzer, making it possible to change
the route easily and flexibly, even if the environment changes

Thouzer is being implemented in a variety of sites through several
customization, and the partner companies provide customization,system construction, and maintenance services based on theirunique strengths, with the aim to spread the product to every
corner of society.

weekly or even daily.

The Thouzer can also be customized in various ways. In addition to

hardware customization such as attaching walls and shelves to the

Aim for the future
Logistics Warehouses

base unit panel, the main product, the Thouzer E Series, has

expandability to add applications and link external devices via a

Improving productivity
in all corners of society
with a general-purpose
mobile robot

network.

Inside Facilities■Benefits of implementing the Thouzer(Airports, restaurants, libraries,
hospitals, hotels, nursing facilities etc.)

Maintenance Sites

Construction

The following benefits can be enjoyed by implementing a Thouzer:

1. Greater automation and efficiency of work: For example, of thepicking and shipping work that workers would ordinarily do allon their own, the work of carrying the items to the shipping area

Improving productivity in all corners of society

Contact:

Doog Inc.
3-18-4 Azuma, Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture
PR Department E-mail: web@doog-inc.com
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Manufacturing

Agriculture

The Robot Award

Japan Machinery Federation
President’s Award“meviy” and the digital revolution forparts procurement in the manufacturing industry
Misumi Group Inc.

Promoting DX (digital transformation)in the manufacturing industry and achieving
labor productivity reform■Outline of meviy

meviy is an e-commerce service that streamlines the procurementof machined parts in the manufacturing industry. The design data is

2. No more waiting for an estimate

Prices and delivery times are immediately analyzed andestimated by AI after the design data is uploaded.

simply uploaded to meviy (https://meviy.misumi-ec.com/), the AI

3. Reliable, quick delivery

processes the part, and delivers it in the shortest time possible insame-day shipment.

recognizes the shape and immediately estimates the cost,this innovative manufacturing platform. The platform’s target uses
are mechanical parts used in production equipment, devices, jigs,

Digital manufacturing means the shortest-possible turnaround is(Typically, it takes about two weeks for parts to be delivered.)and more. It can be used to procure metal mold parts, prototypes,

The above effects not only dramatically streamlined the parts

Since it is a web service, the only necessary equipment is a

but also enable people to procure parts more cheaply and more

sheet metal parts, cutting parts, and any other customer needs.
browser. Membership registration is free, and the service isavailable 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

procurement process, which has always been full of inefficiencies,
quickly than before.
3D
design■Two innovative technologies

1. AI-powered automatic estimates: Misumi Group’s own

algorithm analyzes the shape of the design data, plans the

manufacturing process, and automatically calculates the cost.
Customers can also specify the processing method and(750 hours)

Estimate in as few as

meviy implements two innovative technologies: AI-powered
automatic estimates, and digital manufacturing.

Drawing up a 2D diagram
3 seconds

3D
designSet inNo need to make a

2D diagram

Manufacturing

The time-generating effect of meviy

Estimate Manufacturing(80 hours)(112 hours)

As fast as

same-day shipping

Reduces the effort of making a diagram and an estimate,and saves time waiting for delivery

92% reduction*In the case of parts procurement for facilities with 1,500 product items

accuracy in microns on the browser, and the estimate will

The value that meviy provides is time generation. Misumi Group

2. Digital manufacturing: This system automatically uses thethe manufacturing industry is full of creativity, and eventually

immediately be updated when the part information is changed.

design data to generate the programs necessary to operate themachine tools and automatically manufacture the part. Normally,for custom-made products, a skilled CAM operator must create
NC programs to run the equipment from CAD drawings.

aims to contribute to the realization of a prosperous society where
Society 5.0, which Japan is aiming to achieve, will be made a

reality, where systems can be left to complete low value-added

work, and humans have more time to do the creative work in which
they excel.

■The “time-generating effect” of meviy
1. No need for paper drawings

Just upload the design data, and there’s no need to create

paper drawings which typically takes about 30 minutes per
drawing.

Contact:

Misumi Group Headquarters meviy

Address: 2-5-1 Goraku, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
meviy Support Tel: 0120-343-626 (Available Monday-Friday 10am – 6pm (excluding holidays)
meviy service URL: https://meviy.misumi-ec.com/
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The Robot Award

Japan Machinery Federation
President’s Award

Autonomous mobile
security robot SQ-2
SEQSENSE Inc.

画像未入稿

Highly autonomous mobility functionality
reduces the human burden of security workand achieves high levels of sophistication■What is the Autonomous Mobile Security Robot SQ-2?

The SQ-2 is an autonomous mobile security robot created by

moved to check and talk with the subject.

making full use of advanced technologies such as 3D sensor■Reliable technology to support work

algorithms. It is capable of performing security patrol work in place

perceiving the robot’s vicinity from a high angle, enabling flexible

technology, self-positioning algorithms, and real-time path planningof or in cooperation with humans, a job for which there is a serious
lack of available workers.

Equipped with a proprietary 3D LiDAR system, the security robot

can perform detailed 3D mapping of properties to be guarded,

detect moving objects such as pedestrians, and detect changes inthe environment. The system can also be linked to a cloud system
to provide various security operations (patrol, standing guard,
moving guard) remotely from the security base.

The proprietary LiDAR system on board the SQ-2 is capable ofand safe autonomous movement, even in large-scale environmentsthat require security. The software stack that uses the data from thesensors is based on self-positioning and path planning software,

which is also available as open-source software, making it possible
to make advanced adjustments and customizations.

With the connected cloud system, security work that uses theinternet can be done and robot operation management applications
can be built, enabling both flexible functional expansion and easeof operation as the system can be used anywhere with a web

browser. The system can also be smoothly connected to external■Work Type
Patrols

The robot moves autonomously to predetermined patrol points
and performs monitoring and inspections. During the patrol, therobot is equipped with a camera (frontal high-definition orsystems such as elevators. Application-wise, the company plans toincorporate daily field requests, eventually proactively offering
recognition functions to support security operations.

panorama) to stream video in real-time. It takes photographs ateach point in the patrol and saves it to the cloud system making
it possible to check for abnormalities after the patrol iscompleted.

Standing Guard

The robot stands at a security point and performs surveillance.
Images from the 360-degree panoramic camera can bedisplayed on a monitor installed at the security base. It is

possible to monitor the area around the security point in realtime. The onboard microphone and speaker make it possible touse it to respond to enquiries in the field.

Moving Guard

The robot can be operated remotely from the security base. By
specifying any point on the map, the robot will moveautonomously to the point. If a suspicious object or an injured

person is found during a patrol operation, the robot can be

SQ-2 on patrol

Contact:

SEQSENSE Inc.
Address: 2-2-3 Uchisaiwai-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Saeki, Tel: 050-2018-7860 E-mail: staff@seqsense.com
THE 9TH ROBOT AWARD

9The Robot AwardFirst Prize(Business and Social Implementation Category)

Next generation pharmacy robot (automatic
pharmaceutical management), automatic pharmaceuticaldispenser, and digital shell OTC sales achieve a“Vision of a drug store for patients”
Nippon Becton Dickinson Company

Using automation to create more time for pharmacists.
Teaming up with medical institutions to supporta shift to value-added work.
Contributing to better quality of life for citizens.
■What is the pharmacy robot BD Rowa™ solution?

The BD Rowa Vmax™ System is an automated storage and dispensing
system that can take responsibility for managing most of the inventory(prescription and over-the-counter drugs) handled by pharmacies. It
supports pharmacists and people working in pharmacies by storing,picking, doing inventory control, stocking shelves, and managing expiry
dates, to allow people to shift their work to higher value-added tasks.
The system can also be connected to the following two optional
products to increase the value of the entire pharmacy, supporting not
only the staff but also improving the customer experience (CX).
1. Automated drug pickup machine (BD Rowa™ Pickup Terminal)
The terminal enables non-face-to-face pickup of prescription
medications 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Prescription
medication can be picked up any time without needing to meetanyone, including the same day, after instruction is given on how totake the medicine, either online or in-person. This is a highly flexible
solution achieved in a first for Japan thanks to the gray zone
elimination system.
2. Digital signage for OTC sales support (BD Rowa Vmotion™ Digital Shelf)
This is a tool that assists pharmacists in explaining OTC drugs topatients by displaying package and package insert information on ascreen. OTC drugs can also be dispensed to the pharmacist or other
employee by simply selecting them on the screen, allowing them toexplain or ring up the sale without interrupting the customer interaction. It
also eliminates the time and space required to display OTC drugs andeliminates the need to conduct inventory management.

■Expected Social Impact

In Japan’s super-aging society, medical insurance finances and nursing
care have been cited as major issues, and pharmacies andpharmacists are expected to play amajor role in improving medicalcare. The national government has
set forth a “Vision for Patient-centered
Pharmacies” that calls for allcommunity pharmacies to haveso-called family pharmacy
capabilities by 2025. It calls for thecentralized and continuous
monitoring of patients’ medication
information, pharmacological
Scene of a next-generation pharmacy
management, guidance to check forwith the BD Rowa™ Solution
duplicate doses and interactions

between prescribed drugs, improving adherence through medication
guidance, promoting home dispensing for patients, and promoting
collaboration between pharmacies and medical institutions, to shift thepharmacist’s tasks from pharmaceutical-centered (physical) topatient-centered (interpersonal).
The BD Rowa™ Solution will contribute to the task shifting ofpharmacists from physical to interpersonal tasks, aiming to create asociety where each citizen can think and act on their own health.

■Implementation record

Since the first system was implemented in Japan in March 2019, thesystem has been installed all over Japan, from individual pharmacies tomajor dispensing chains and drugstores with more than 500 locations.
The system has been installed in all types of pharmacies (by university
hospitals, by hospitals, by clinics, on the grounds of hospitals, at
pharmacies that service several small clinics, in front of train stations,inside medical malls, at drugstores, and in pharmacy distribution
warehouses). It has been well-received and some customers have eveninstalled the system in multiple stores.

■Fun Facts about BD Rowa™

1. Peace of mind with traceability function for pharmaceutical product recalls
All inventory is managed by ID, which enables checking products by themonth for their expiry dates that enables removal of expired products all
at once. Not only that, but the prescriptions and lot numbers areconnected so that in the event of a recall they can be traced.

2. High efficiency storage and high-speed dispensing

By optimizing inventory (rearranging boxes) during free time, highly
efficient storage can be achieved in a limited space. Also, multiple
boxes can be picked simultaneously for high-speed dispensing.

BD RowaTM Pickup Terminal

BD Rowa VmotionTM Digital Shelf

Contact:

Nippon Becton Dickinson Company
View product details here

Address: Akasaka Garden City 4-15-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Customer Service Tel: 0120-8555-03
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The Robot AwardFirst Prize(Nursing Care, Medical Care, and Construction Category)

RoboRack®, an automatic breeding
system for research mice
Global Linx Technology Co., Ltd.

Gentle on people and mice alike,
proposing a new breeding method
Breeding area

■What is RoboRack® ?

Changing Area

RoboRack® is the world’s first robot that automatically breeds miceused for medical and other research experiments.
To outline what is involved in raising mice:

Cage lid
stocker

Breeding
shelves

1. Changing bedding (Replacing old cages with new,Cage
stocker

Holds 40 cages(standard model)

and providing new bedding)

Bedding
material
supplydevice*Each shelf has a water
nozzle in the back.

2. Feeding (Giving food to the mice)

3. Watering (Giving water to the mice)

And more. But until now, this has all been done by hand.

Research for the RoboRack® began seven years ago. It does allthese things without the need for human hands.

■Current situation and issues with animal testing

Animal testing is necessary for developing medical technology,

Transport robot

Cage replacing
robot

Feed supply
deviceWaste bedding material
collection device

pharmaceuticals, agricultural chemicals, chemical products,

cosmetics, food additives and more. It is used to study the safety,■Thanks to automation with RoboRack®

fields of medicine and pharmacology, animal testing is veryof laboratory mice, and breeding has mainly been done manually.

efficacy, and danger of all kinds of substances. In particular, in theimportant, as it is an essential step before clinical experiments(clinical trials) can be held. In recent years, animal testing has beenused in the development of new drugs for the treatment of cancer
and other incurable diseases, as well as in the development ofregenerative medical technology such as IPS cells. Its importanceis being increasingly recognized as it has played a valuable role infighting COVID-19, which is now raging worldwide.

Meanwhile, in recent years there has been a strong demand for

Until now, it has been considered difficult to automate the breeding
The RoboRack® has automated this breeding work, which not only
reduces the workload of animal caretakers, but it also avoids risk

and improves the accuracy and reproducibility of experiments bylimiting the contact between humans and animals. The company
believes that this will contribute to the development of medical
science in Japan and around the world by making it possible toconduct experiments that meet a wider range of requirements.

The RoboRack® also provides excellent care for laboratory mice.

appropriate animal experiments from the perspective of animal

Thorough attention to detail means that noise has been limited in

avoid causing unnecessary pain and stress to laboratory animals.

RoboRack ® in action, see the company’s website for a video:

welfare, and research institutions are taking the utmost care to

However, in reality, it is very difficult to take practical measures
such as maintaining breeding standards.

order to prevent unnecessary stress to the mice. To watch a
http://www.glinx.co.jp/products02/index.html

In addition, due to the spread of COVID-19 that has been rampant

It goes without saying that the development of medical research will

extremely difficult to secure staff and work hours at sites that are

mankind. Global Linx Technologies are convinced that RoboRack®

since last year, access to experimental facilities is limited, making it
already facing a labor shortage.

continue to play an important role in ensuring a healthy life forwill revolutionize the medical research industry.

Contact:

Global Linx Technology Co., Ltd.

Address: 943-1 Nishioka-cho, Naka Ward, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka
Staff in charge of RoboRack®, Planning OfficeTel: 053-401-0882 URL: http://www.glinx.co.jp
THE 9TH ROBOT AWARD

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The Robot AwardFirst Place(Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Industry, Food Industry Category)Retrofit type automation system
for agricultural equipment
Topcon Corporation

Turn your tractor into an
automated tractor
Automatic steering system■Challenges facing Japan’s agriculture industry

Due to the extreme aging of the farming workforce in Japan, an
increasing number of farmers are outsourcing the management of
their fields to other farmers in the region. In order to handle themanagement of this increased area, they are incorporating, hiring
workers, and treating it like a large-scale farming operation.
However, it’s not easy to manage a large field while dealing with anunskilled labor force at the same time. In particular, the operation ofagricultural vehicles requires a lot of skill, as it is difficult to keep thevehicle moving in a straight line, and the driver needs to also
operate the machinery hooked to the back (fertilizer, pesticide
sprayers, etc.) In particular, ridging, sowing, and other operations
require skilled driving with an accuracy of several centimeters.

■An automatic steering system that can be retrofitted

The automatic steering system uses a high-precision GPS receiverthat registers position information, which is then used toautomatically control the steering wheel of the agricultural vehicle tohave it follow a pre-registered line of travel. The system iscomposed of three devices: 1. High-precision GPS receiver: It
has a built-in electronic compass and IMU (Inertial Measurement
Unit), which measure the location, position, and bearing. 2.
Console: This processes the position and bearing information fromthe GPS receiver and also displays and sets the position andbearing information. It uses the location information to control thefarm equipment. 3. Electronic steering wheel: A high torqueelectronic motor is installed to automatically operate the steering
wheel of the vehicle. These devices can be retrofitted to existingvehicles that are currently in use, enabling automation at a low cost.
Since agriculture vehicles are used for a short time in each season,a single automatic steering system can be passed around todifferent vehicles for efficient operation.

too, letting the system handle the steering wheel helps reduce
fatigue and also lets them concentrate on checking the work
equipment, allowing them to perform more accurate work. The
system is particularly effective when operating at ultra-low speeds(0.1km/h) which is often the speed used in agriculture in Japan.

■Supporting DX (digital transformation) in agriculture

Automatic steering systems are rapidly gaining popularity in Japan,
but they have already become common in advanced agriculture
countries in Europe and the United States. Agricultural vehicles andwork equipment are highly computerized and automaticallycontrolled in conjunction with the position information of theautomatic steering system. The automatic steering system collects
data and sends it to the cloud and is managed by a system called
FMIS (Farm Management Information System).
Meanwhile, in Japan today, automatic steering systems are onlyused to control the steering wheel and the recorded work data is
not utilized. As Japan’s work equipment becomes more electronic,
it will be possible to obtain useful information. As agriculturemachines become information devices, Japan will be able to utilize
agricultural work data as is done in Europe and the United States.
This will contribute to the transition from agriculture that relies on
experience and intuition to one that is based on data.
Agriculture machines become information machines
Data is gathered in the cloud and utilized
Sensor Information
Growth, yield,
weather, etc.

Console Information■Making difficult work easier for unskilled workers

With the automatic steering system, even unskilled workers canperform highly accurate and efficient work similar to skilled workers.
By delegating difficult tasks to unskilled workers, one of the
obstacles to scale expansion can be resolved. For skilled operators

Worker, field,
materials, area, etc.
Tractor Information
Vehicle speed, engine rev count,mileage, PTO rev count, error information, etc.

Contact:

Topcon Positioning Asia

75-1 Hasunuma-cho, Itabashi Ward, Tokyo
Tsuyoshi Yoshida. IT Agriculture Solutions Department
Tel: 03-3558-2511 E-mail tyoshida@topcon.com
THE 9TH ROBOT AWARD

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Location, time,
acceleration, etc.

Work Device Information

On/Off, spray volume,
work width, error information,
etc.

The Robot AwardFirst Prize (Social Infrastructure,
Disaster Response, Fire Fighting Category)

A4CSEL® (quad-accel)

The next-generation construction production
system with automatic operationof construction machinery at its core

A4CSEL development concept

A4CSEL configuration

Kajima Corporation

Turning civil engineeringsites into state-of-the-art factories
In-use on site (embankment dam, 2018)■Outline of A4CSEL

The A 4 CSEL (Automated/Autonomous/Advanced/Accelerated
Construction for Safety, Efficiency, and Liability) was developed tosolve important issues in the construction industry such as theshortage of labor and skilled workers, construction productivity, andindustrial accidents. It is a construction like none other, that
automates general-purpose construction machines, and allows
multiple machines to operate automatically at the same time toperform work without the need for a lot of manpower. By sending
work data, the automated construction machines can performroutine and repetitive tasks automatically and unattended. By
operating a large number of machines simultaneously and with aminimum of personnel, productivity and safety can be greatly
improved. The A4CSEL consists of the following: 1. Technology tomodify general-purpose construction machinery to automatic
operation specifications. 2. Technology to ensure stable quality
work regardless of site conditions by incorporating AI-analyzed
data of skilled workers into the automatic operation control. 3.
Construction management technology that coordinates a large
number of machines and operates them based on the mostproductive construction plan. These technologies make itpossible for all machines to operate autonomously andautomatically based on a plan that optimizes the placement ofconstruction machines and the order of work. The automation of thethree main types of construction equipment used for earthwork,
namely vibratory rollers, bulldozers, and dump trucks and theautomation of the work performed by these machines has madeprogress and has been implemented at four sites so far.

■From labor-intensive to information-intensive

In many construction sites, each job is left up to the worker, and as
a result, the efficiency has been left up to individual skills that are
difficult to quantify. In order to change such qualitative and highlyvariable production efficiency into stable quantitative values,
A4CSEL analyzes the onsite work, including the work that requires
experience and skill, and reconstructs and standardizes it into a
combination of routine and repetitive actions. The company is alsobuilding a highly productive construction production system byimplementing methods of optimizing the production process thathas been cultivated in manufacturing plants. Through these efforts,
the company is transforming construction sites, which areconsidered to be typical of labor-intensive industries, into
production bases for knowledge- and information-intensive
industry.

A4CSEL at work (@CSG Dam 2020)

Developing the system at the life-size construction test site

■Future Prospects

At the life-size construction test site, the first of its kind in theindustry, modification to automatic operation specifications,improvement of automatic operation performance, and the study of
construction methods suitable for automatic operation arecontinuously being carried out under the same working
environment as a real site. The company plans to continue toincrease the number of automated machine models and expand
the technology to other types of construction work, using A4CSEL
to dramatically improve productivity and safety while also achieving
the factorization of civil engineering sites.

Contact:

Kajima Corporation
2-19-1 Tobitakyu, Chofu, Tokyo
Satoru Miura, Technical Research Institute Tel: 042-485-1111 E-mail: miuras@kajima.com
THE 9TH ROBOT AWARD

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The Robot AwardFirst Prize(Research and Development Category)A 4K high-resolution deformation detection systemfor concrete linings of expressway
tunnels traveling at 100km/h
Tokyo University /Central Nippon Expressway Company Limited

Detecting cracks 0.2mm and up froma vehicle traveling at 100km/h■A need for more frequent infrastructure inspections

About 30% of the tunnels on expressways have been in service formore than 30 years, and there is a need for more efficient
inspections to prevent accidents due to deterioration. Detailed
inspections of concrete tunnel lining are conducted by inspectors
once every five years, but from the perspective of cost andaccuracy, road administrators have been seeking a system thatenables more frequent and accurate inspections. A travelinginspection system has been available in the past, but this system
has been developed to meet the needs of users even better. The
system is capable of capturing high-resolution images of cracks as
small as 0.2mm while traveling at a speed of 100km/h. By
identifying deterioration and damage at a higher frequency without
the need for traffic control, special vehicles, or inspectors, thissystem will contribute to the achievement of a society in which asafe and strong infrastructure can be operated at a lower cost.

■4K High Resolution Deformation Detection System

This system uses a high-speed camera, high-speed image
processing, and a rotating mirror to compensate for motion blur inreal time, enabling the continuous capture of 4K-level images thatare comparable to still images. Using optical axis control
technology with the rotating mirror, they have succeeded inextending the exposure time, downsizing the equipment, andincreasing the resolution of the captured images. The higher
resolution allows the system to be used even in areas where it isdifficult to see deformations due to soot and so on, and the longer
exposure time reduces the amount of light required, which helps
prevent distracted driving of other drivers and ensures the safety of
the inspector.
The device can be installed on the top of a regular vehicle (Toyota
Surf in the photo here) using a commercially available roof carrier.
Since patrol vehicles travel on highways many times a day, it ispossible to conduct inspections simply by mounting the device on
the vehicle and setting it to record.

Although only one camera is installed in order to reduce the size ofthe system, the servo motor switches the imaging angle in a circularpattern as the vehicle travels. Using real-time vehicle position
information gathered from the white line recognition, the system
accumulates data from the target angle, creating a development
view of the tunnel.

■Achievements and Future Developments

A field test was conducted on an unrestricted expressway. As aresult, the system was able to detect cracks of 0.2mm at a speed of
100km/h within the restriction of the Tomei Expressway Nihonzaka
Tunnel. In addition, development maps were successfully created
for the Kuragaike Tunnel on the Tokai Ring Road (at 100km/h) andthe Hida Tunnel on the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway (at 70km/h). The
images were processed by the deformation detection program, andcracks of 0.2mm or larger were detected, confirming theeffectiveness of the system.
The system has succeeded in detecting not only cracks in tunnels
while in motion but also internal deformation such as floating andpeeling by applying the system to thermal camera imaging. In the
future, the system is expected to contribute to the inspection field
where both high accuracy and high efficiency are required byapplying the same technology to inspection of transportation
infrastructures such as railways and airplane runways, as well as
high speed inspection of things like factory lines.
Principles ofoperation

Tunnel ceiling surface

High-speed camera
Following

Rotates with an actuator

White line
recognition
cameraSmall mirror

Move
RotateInspection
cameraInspection equipment set on the vehicle

Development view

A detected crack

Inspection system outline

University of Tokyo
Contact:

Address: School of Engineering Building 6, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
Tomohiko Hayakawa, Information Technology Center Tel: 03-5841-0024 E-mail: contact@ishikawa-vision.org

Central Nippon Expressway Company Limited

Address: 2-18-19 Nishiki, Naka-ku, Nagoya, Aichi
Hidemasa Onishi, Technology Planning and Development Division, Environment and Technology Planning Department, Technology
and Construction Headquarters Tel: 052-222-3623 E-mail: y.onishi.ac@c-nexco.co.jp
THE 9TH ROBOT AWARD

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The Robot Award

Jury’s Special Award
Offshore and underwater robot systems
that make a mothership-less seafloor
survey system possible
Team KUROSHIO
Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology; Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo;
Kyushu Institute of Technology; National Institute of Maritime+ Port and Aviation Technology;
Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding; Nippon Marine Enterprises; KDDI Research, and Yamaha Motor

Bringing together technology from eight institutions
from industry, academia, and government.
Ranked number two in the world■Outline

2019, of the 32 entries from around the world, Team KUROSHIO wastransported and deployed to the sea by a manned support vessel

off the coast of Greece on the seafloor of the Mediterranean. The AUV

Typically, uderwater robots used for seafloor surveys are

and controlled by acoustic communication from the vessel. In orderto further expand the use of underwater robots, Team KUROSHIO

developed a mothership-less seafloor survey system which enables
surveying of the seafloor using only robots without using amothership. The system consists of an Autonomous Surface Vehicle(ASV), multiple Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV), and aland-based station, and the operator remotely monitors andcontrols the ASV and AUV via satellite communications.

the only team from Asia to compete in the finals held in December 2018
towed by the ASV was detached offshore, and spent over 23 hours
conducting seafloor research. 30km offshore from the port, in water

about 1,000m deep, the survey succeeded in producing a topographic

map of the seafloor covering an area of 5km by 33.5km. As a result of
the evaluation by the judging panel, Team KUROSHIO was awarded
second place (The Grand Prize Runner-Up). This achievement

demonstrated to the world the high level of Japan’s marine robotics
technology and was widely reported in Japan and abroad.

This system developed by Team KUROSHIO has the potential to■Features of the system

respond to national-level issues such as seafloor topography surveys,

AUVs using the ASV, a towing frame was developed that can beinstalling and maintaining equipment installed offshore, under the sea,

As the system has no mothership, in order to transport and deploy
customized to suit the AUVs to be transported. The towing frame is abuoyant body equipped with a mechanism to hold AUVs at two

points and can transport AUVs of various shapes while cooling them

but also to private sector needs such as searching for lost objects, andor on the seafloor, such as submarine cables, offshore wind power
generation facilities, and more.

with seawater. The AUVs and ASV can communicate wirelessly

during transportation, and when the AUVs are detached from the

Telecommunications
satellite

Land-based
stationtowing frame, they will automatically start diving and surveying.

Base station

In this system, the ASV is equipped with a satellite communication
device and an underwater communication device that can be used

to remotely control an AUV even after it is submerged. The AUVs

and ASV are guided so that the AUV is always within a certain range

ASV tows
the AUVs

Towing frame

directly under the ASV so that they can stay within communication
range. In underwater acoustic communication, it may not get

through depending on the environment, so a new underwater

Undersea acoustic
communication

acoustic message communication technology was developed toenhance communication stability by transferring communicationfrom the AUV that receives the message, to other AUVs.

Acoustic ocean floor mapping■Achievements and developments

The Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE, the first-ever international

competition for unmanned underwater research, held from 2016 toConcept illustration of the offshore and undersea robot system

Contact:

Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology

Address: 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka, Kanagawa
Takeshi Nakatani, Research Platform Operation Development Department
Tel: 046-867-9442 E-mail: kuroshiopr@jamstec.go.jp
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