※This is a machine-translated text of the original article.
ANA Holdings Inc and Mitsubishi Estate Co Ltd announced about the launch of demonstration test of “newme” avatar-assisted information service for tourists.
The demonstrated test will take place at JNTO’s Tourist Information Center (TIC) in Marunouchi area operated by Mitsubishi Estate, where information counter staff will be answering enquiries via remote-controlled robot-avatar “newme”.
In recent years, in the event of a natural disaster, such as a large typhoon, it has been found difficult to maintain business at information centers from the viewpoint of the effects of planned suspension of operation of transportation systems on the time when employees come to work and the risk of leaving work.
Especially in the field of tourist guidance stations where high-level foreign language skills are required, in addition to the continuing shortage of manpower, it is urgent to develop flexible working styles such as telecommuting accompanying child rearing and nursing.
In order to solve these problems, this demonstration experiment verifies for three days the identification of the necessary functions for actual reception work in a remote operation business.
Through ANA’s proprietary communication avatar “newme”, tourists visiting Japan, who are visited by staff in remote locations, will be guided in multiple languages throughout Japan.
Regarding the development of remote sales environments for guide stations, Live Smart KK, a smart-home technology funded by Mitsubishi Estate, will be installed to verify the opening and locking of doorways and the remote control of lighting facilities without requiring large-scale construction.
In the future, ANA will research and develop avatar robots suitable for tourist guidance and flexible working styles based on the results obtained from the same experiments.
Mitsubishi Estate says it will pursue the ideal way of next-generation facility operation management using robotics and remote control technology.
Original Text: https://ampmedia.jp/2020/02/18/ana-14/