Hi Guys and welcome, I am Philip English from Robophil.com and on this video we are doing an Interview with Hironori Ogawa from NSK and their robot Lighbot!

We managed to speak to Hironori at the IREX 2015 Robot Exhibition in Tokyo, Japan.

NSK Ltd. Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan,  has create a Guide Robot with Indoor Navigation and Obstacle Avoidance called Lighbot!. LIGHBOT is still in the experimental stage, but NSK has been working jointly with the Kanagawa Rehabilitation Center (Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture) over the past six months under conditions close to those of actual usage. This latest version has improved guidance, safety and usability.

Philip: Hi guys! I’m Philip English. We are here now with NSK and I’ll have a look at their technology. I got a gentleman here. So if you can introduce yourself and tell me a little bit about the company

Hironori: My name is Hironori Ogawa and NSK is a mechanical parts company and now, we developed a guidance robot for visual impaired and disabled people

Philip: So, what type of examples, so where will you buy one of these or where will you use one of these? Would it be hospitals?

Hironori: Yeah. The patient reach to the hospitals and then the hospital staffs set the robot to the destination

Philip: Right. Okay. So, can it be programmed centrally? So, you have some, a map of the hospital, is that how it works?

Hironori: We have to make a map before using the robot

Philip: So, how’d you make the map? Do you make the map with the robot or we have another tool?

Hironori: We use robot to make a map and then we tune the maps for good quality

Philip: So, do you build the map with the laser sensors?

Hironori: Yes

Philip: Okay. What about if it’s different floors? So, can the robot go up the lift to different floor?

Hironori: Yes. The robot can

Philip: So have you sold lot of these into hospitals or is it still in a research?

Hironori: These robot is plan to lease in 2016. Next year.

Philip: And you are going for a leasing model? Okay. Now, that’s very smart. I mean, why, it’s a very smart robot. So, is there going to have a version 2 or 3 or 4?

Hironori: Yes. Sorry. We don’t have a plan but I think we have to make the new improved specification or features

Philip: So, supposed, how old will be using it? Is it only for adults or can you do children as well?

Hironori: This robot is only for the adult. Especially for elderly people.

Philip: It’s for elderly people. Maybe, for care homes and stuff like that?

Hironori: I think it can. They can use this robot.

Philip: So what else does NSK do? Does they sell other products? So is that, a sort of thing? What does it do?

Hironori: That is some sensors, built for robot technologies

Philip: So, it is a sensor sort of company? Okay.

Brilliant Thanks Guys, I hope you enjoyed the interview and I want to say a big thank you to  Hironori  from NSK, for his time and  the interview.  

If you want to learn more about the NSK I have put in links below, for your review.

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Thanks Guys! And I will see you next time.

NSK: https://www.nsk.com/

NSK Interview YouTube: https://youtu.be/ftrJ9s1uS4g

Philip English: https://philipenglish.com

Sponsor: Robot Center: http://www.robotcenter.co.uk