[June 10: Robot Day] Daiko Introduces Robots that Ride Elevators and Move Around the Office

Daiko Corporation (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and Representative Director: Yasunori Kodama; hereinafter 'Daiko') is introducing its initiative using Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) that coordinate with its own elevators, in conjunction with 'Robot Day' on June 10. Daiko uses AMRs to transport documents and small packages, and by linking them with its own elevators, the robots can move between floors. ■ Background Within internal office operations, there are daily transport tasks, such as delivering documents, supplies, and light packages, even if they are short-distance. While each task is small, they accumulate, creating movement overhead and work interruptions, which can eat into time that should be spent on core tasks. Daiko is promoting the use of AMRs to gradually reduce the burden of these daily tasks and create a more efficient way of working. ■ Usage Status The AMRs autonomously navigate while sensing their surroundings, transporting goods to set destinations. This reduces the burden on employees who would otherwise have to leave their desks to move items, helping to create an environment where limited time can be used more effectively. Furthermore, by not limiting the AMRs to movement within a single floor but linking them with the elevators in the company's own building, transportation to other floors has become possible. Expanding the robots' operational range has enabled more versatile operations. ■ User Feedback Employees who actually use the AMRs in the office have shared the following comments: 'I feel that the ability to move to other floors by linking with the elevator is expanding the possibilities for robot utilization. I look forward to seeing this technology used in even more diverse situations in the future. We will continue to challenge ourselves to create a more comfortable and enjoyable city where people and robots can coexist harmoniously.' ■ Key Points of Robot Integration Daiko's freight elevators can minimize the step at the entrance/exit to nearly zero by fixing the car. One of the critical points in considering the practical operation of robot-elevator coordination is the step that occurs when loading heavy items. Even a slight step can affect the robot's travel and the stability of the transported goods. Our freight elevators suppress sinking during boarding and alighting by fixing the car, creating an environment where AMRs can move more smoothly. This feature is also valuable in transport scenarios where vibration and shock must be minimized, such as for semiconductors, precision machinery, and art objects. In environments where transport quality is critical, stability during boarding and alighting is highly significant. ■ Future Developments Moving to Practical Sites like Logistics Warehouses Through this initiative, Daiko is verifying how robots and elevators should be coordinated from a practical operational perspective. Looking ahead, the company envisions deployment in sites with higher transport frequency and efficiency needs, such as logistics warehouses and factories. In logistics sites, the movement of people and goods is constant, making labor-saving and efficiency in transport key themes. Going forward, Daiko will continue efforts aimed at practical application, enabling smoother coordination between robots like AMRs and AGFs (Automated Guided Forklifts) and elevators in these environments, contributing to improved on-site productivity. ■ Company Profile Company Name: Daiko Corporation Location: 1-1-1 Shibadaimon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0012 URL: http://www.daiko-s.co.jp/ Business: Sales, design, manufacturing, construction, and maintenance of elevators, car lifts, escalators, mechanical parking systems, stair lifts, and turntables (ISO registered). Also, biomass and energy power generation business, including new project planning, installation, operation, and maintenance of power generation facilities. Daiko Corporation, Sales Promotion Department E-Mail: eisui@daiko-s.co.jp