Nippon Otis Elevators Successfully Integrate via Cloud with AIM Technologies Robots at Hotel Keihan Universal Tower

Using Otis Integrated Dispatch™ technology, the robot is able to call the elevator, select its destination, and efficiently enter and exit the car – all without the need for human interaction

Using its Otis Integrated Dispatch technology, Nippon Otis Elevator Company, in collaboration with robotics provider AIM Technologies, has integrated its elevators with robots via the cloud as part of a pilot project at Hotel Keihan Universal Tower, in Osaka, Japan. Nippon Otis Elevator Company is the Japanese subsidiary of Otis Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: OTIS), the world’s leading company for elevator and escalator manufacturing, installation, and service.

Hotel Keihan Universal Tower receives approximately 40 to 50 delivery service requests to guest rooms on a busy day. To reduce the time spent by concierge team members in making deliveries, the hotel decided to trial AIM Technology's robots, which can deliver goods in place of employees. Jointly, Nippon Otis and AIM Technologies integrated the elevators and robots using Otis Integrated Dispatch technology, which enables the robots to interact with hotel elevators via the cloud. This allows the robots to call the elevators, select their destination, efficiently enter and exit the car, and deliver the goods to guests without the need for human interaction.

© Hotel Keihan

"We are honored to be able to contribute to improving customer service and employee productivity at Hotel Keihan Universal Tower," said Thibault Lefebure, President, Nippon Otis. "We will continue our research and development efforts in integrating elevators and robots in pursuit of a more seamless experience within buildings for people and robots alike."

Otis Integrated Dispatch technology is an API (Application Programming Interface) that is designed to integrate with most autonomous service robots. This API approach enables the robots to interface seamlessly with the elevators via the cloud or a local connection, and is more flexible and scalable than traditional hard-wired integrations. The Otis Integrated Dispatch system works at the elevator group or bank level, allowing more flexibility to add robots, including different robot models from various providers, and increasing efficiency by having multiple elevators available for the robot to use.

The Otis Integrated Dispatch protocol is based on the Robot-Elevator Linkage Interface Definition RRI standard. This is one of the standards developed by the Robot Revolution and Industrial IoT Initiative Council (RRI), which was established by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in 2019 as one of the initiatives of the Robotics for Social Transformation Promotion Plan.

Click Here to watch the Hotel Keihan Robotics Video

To learn more about Otis products and services, visit www.otis.com.

About Otis

Otis gives people freedom to connect and thrive in a taller, faster, smarter world. The global leader in the manufacture, installation and servicing of elevators and escalators, we move 2 billion people a day and maintain more than 2.1 million customer units worldwide – the industry's largest Service portfolio. You’ll find us in the world's most iconic structures, as well as residential and commercial buildings, transportation hubs and everywhere people are on the move. Headquartered in Connecticut, USA, Otis is 70,000 people strong, including 41,000 field professionals, all committed to meeting the diverse needs of our customers and passengers in more than 200 countries and territories. To learn more, visit www.otis.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @OtisElevatorCo.

About AIM Technologies

AIM Technologies develops and sells AI service robots. We solve corporate issues with robots, AI, and IoT. As a solution provider, AIM Technologies not only provides robots, but also offers solutions to hotels, commercial facilities, hospitals, office buildings, factories, warehouses, and other facilities throughout Japan by partnering with companies that have robot-related services and technologies, and aims to expand sales. As a Japanese manufacturer, AIM Technologies can meet high user demand in Japan and manufacture in China, the U.S., and Japan to reduce costs and market the products worldwide. To learn more, visit www.aim-tech.jp/.

About Hotel Keihan Universal Tower

Hotel Keihan operates 15 hotels throughout Japan in major government-designated cities, including Osaka and Kyoto areas, and offers a wide range of services for business, sightseeing, and leisure. Hotel Keihan Universal Tower opened in 2008. To learn more, visit www.hotelkeihan.co.jp/.