Japan is a global pioneer in using service robots to address the needs of an aging population, and Nippon Otis Elevator Co. is helping those robots to move autonomously through the buildings they serve. The company participated in a pilot program at an apartment complex in Fukuoka City to integrate a robot with an elevator via the cloud to automate mail delivery, the subsidiary of Otis Worldwide Corp. announced.
In this streamlined process, outlined on the Otis website, the courier hands over a parcel to the service robot at the building entrance. The company’s smart technology, Otis Integrated Dispatch, enables the robot to autonomously call and ride the elevator to designated floors to deliver mail in place of the courier. A video posted on the site illustrates the process:
Otis Integrated Dispatch is a cloud-based or on-premise API solution for integrating service robots with Otis elevators. The solution enables access to multiple elevators, so the robot can move to an available elevator and keep going, and it’s compatible with almost any autonomous service robot and with Otis commercial elevators manufactured sine 1990.
The company contributed to the project as part of the Fukuoka Smart East program, which is designed to unite cutting-edge technology and innovation with sustainable practices to create “the largest smart city in Japan.” Nippon Otis was part of a consortium that included Kyushu University, the Urban Renaissance Agency, Fukuoka City, and the Fukuoka Regional Strategy Promotion Council, among other organizations.
“Nippon Otis will continue leveraging cutting-edge technology and developing future-ready technologies that are integral to modern life,” said Nippon Otis President Patrick Yeung in a statement. “We are also uniquely positioned to address the needs of Japan’s aging population, providing safe, more reliable mobility solutions that remain accessible and operational for all.”
In 2024, Nippon Otis partnered with robotics provider FIG Corp. to integrate a service robot with an Otis Gen2 Prestige elevator as part of a pilot project in Oita, Japan. The program aimed to automate mail delivery at the Oita Prefectural Government Office, which sees a large number of parcels moving through the mail room every day.
Connecticut, USA-based Otis Worldwide Corp. moves 2.4 billion people a day and maintain around 2.4 million customer elevator and escalator units worldwide.