SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Top left: Sports spectatorship is evolving with the use of high-speed, high-capacity 5G technology. Spectators at swimming competitions gain access to real-time data. TOKYO 2020
Top right: Spectators at a golf competition can simultaneously view multiple players scattered along the course on a hand-held device. TOKYO 2020
Bottom left: The autonomous FSR has a built-in sensor that can detect obstacles. It selects the optimal route to a chosen object and retrieves it in the minimum amount of time. TOKYO 2020
Bottom center: Human Support Robots (HSRs) were also equipped with cameras to take commemorative photos at various locations, and were popular among competitors andvolunteer staff. TOKYO 2020
Bottom right: The HSR, equipped with a foldable arm, was developed to assist physically impaired and elderly persons. At Tokyo 2020, HSRs distributed water bottles and collectedgarbage. TOKYO SHIMBUNTECHINNOVATIONSThe Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games
set out to be the most innovative Games ever andbring a positive legacy to future generations. 5Gtechnology and robotics, finely tuned to meet theneeds of the Games, expertly demonstrated what thefuture has in store by providing behind-the-scenes
support for the massive event and enhancing theviewing experience.
The increased bandwidth and higher capacity
made possible by 5G networks paved the way for a
new type of experience for viewers. At a swimmingcompetition venue, for example, 5G’s low latency andAR (augmented reality) technology sent real-timedata about contestants and their relative positions
to viewers wearing goggle-type devices. The data
informed the spectators instantaneously about whichswimmers were leading at any moment, letting themcheer on the athletes all the more enthusiastically.
At a golf competition, a “multi-live broadcastingsystem” allowed spectators with hand-held tablets towatch, in real time, the participating golfers scatteredacross various holes along the golf course. Although
the decision to hold Tokyo 2020 without spectators
limited those experiences to a small number ofofficials, the few who were there could glimpse thefuture of sports viewing.
Robots also played a remarkable role at Tokyo
2020. HIRUKAWA Hirohisa, a robotics specialistof the National Institute of Advanced IndustrialScience and Technology (AIST) and leader of theTokyo 2020 Robot Project, says, “We hoped that thisyear’s Games would be more than just a showcase fortechnology. Our aim was to show how useful robots

AT TOKYO 2020

At this year’s Tokyo 2020 Games, 5G technology enhanced the viewing experience,
while robots assisted operations at various events, entertaining all those involved.
Such cutting-edge technologies point to the exciting future that awaits us.

Power Assist Suits reduced back stress and helped officials pick up shots at shot-putvenues, while also aiding personnel in the exchange of weight plates during
powerlifting competitions. TOKYO 2020

Tokyo 2020 RobotProject leader
HIRUKAWA Hirohisa
reflects, “The harmonious
coexistence of humanbeings and robots
depends on whether
humans utilize robots
wisely. In that respect,
I think Tokyo 2020
represented an excellent
example of useful robots
in action.”can be.” Robotic support in conducting various
events garnered special attention. For instance, Field
Support Robots (FSRs) retrieved and transported
projectiles at events such as the javelin throw andshot put. The robots could move autonomously,
avoiding obstacles and choosing optimal routes,
thus saving time and reducing the workload forsupport personnel. Similarly, the Power Assist Suit,
which can relieve wearers of up to 10 kg of a physicalburden, played an important part in powerliftingcompetitions at the Paralympic Games. Support
personnel, who wore the suit like a backpack, wereable to change the powerlifting plates on barbells
with speed and ease. “The staff were incredulous at
first, but the suit gained a reputation for being easy to
use and reducing fatigue,” recalls ARAI Koji, seniordirector of the Innovation Promotion Office of theTokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic andParalympic Games.
Because the Games took place during the COVID-19
pandemic, being “safe and secure” was an important
theme. Considering its potential concerning avoiding
unnecessary human contact, robotic technology
thus found itself useful to an unprecedented degree.
Hirukawa reflects, “We realized that robots could takeover a great many tasks in security, cleaning, and inguiding visitors. From now on, we will be able to reduceneedless contact between people by using robots.”
Tokyo 2020 illustrated a fast-approaching futurecharacterized by advanced technologies such as
5G and robotics. Japanese technology continues
to evolve and will support efforts toward a moreproductive lifestyle.