Osaka, Japan | January 13, 2017– Panasonic Corporation today announced that it will begin its demonstration experiments with the Autonomous Delivery Robot, “HOSPI(R),” from mid-January 2017 in cooperation with the Narita International Airport Corporation and the ANA Crowne Plaza Narita.

HOSPI(R) is a robot that can deliver goods autonomously on behalf of humans. Based on preprogrammed map information and using high performance sensors and advanced collision-avoidance algorithm, the robot can move about while staying aware of its surroundings, enabling it to deliver items safely and efficiently without colliding into passersby or various objects along its route. Unlike traditional delivery systems, equipment does not need to be embedded into the walls or ceilings, and guide tapes do not have to be laid down along the route, so delivery destinations and layout changes to facilities may be easily made and at low cost. Being recognized for these features, the HOSPI(R) has already been adopted by 4 hospitals in Japan and other countries for the delivery of pharmaceuticals and specimens.

In the demonstration experiments to be conducted, the robots will be retrieving used dishware in the airport lounge and offering drink service in the hotel lobby. Through these demonstration experiments, Panasonic will be verifying the utility of the HOSPI(R) in performing other types of delivery services and accelerating the commercial development of the HOSPI(R).

[Video] Demonstration Experiments of HOSPI(R), the Autonomous Delivery Robot, at an Airport and Hotel

Overview of the Demonstration Experiments

1. Drink service.

Period: Jan 14 (Sat) – 18 (Wed), 2017
Location: ANA Crowne Plaza Narita, 1F Lobby
Description: The robot will move around the lobby offering bottled beverages to hotel guests. It will also provide information about bus departures.

2. Dishware collection.

Period: Jan 23 (Mon) – 27 (Fri), 2017
Location: Narita International Airport, “Narita Travel Lounge”
Description: The robot will retrieve used dishware and deliver them to the relevant counter.

*At the moment, there are no plans to introduce the HOSPI(R) to the Narita International Airport and the ANA Crowne Plaza Narita more permanently. With its personal care robots, Panasonic will help realize a safe, secure, and convenient lifestyle.

• Leo the robot to lend a helping hand to delegates departing from the city’s airport

Marrakech | November 14, 2016– Leo, the innovative baggage robot developed by air transport IT provider SITA, is in Marrakech for the COP22 climate talks taking place in the city from 7-18 November 2016. Leo, is being hosted by Royal Air Maroc, Morocco’s national carrier.

Leo will be on display in the main COP22 convention centre in Bab Ighli from 7-16 November before moving to Marrakech Manara Airport and Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport this week where the robot will assist delegates flying Royal Air Maroc to check-in their bags. SITA’s baggage robot will remain in Morocco until November 27 where the national airline will conduct numerous airport trials using Leo.

Abdelhamid Addou, Chairman & CEO of Royal Air Maroc, said: “The smart use of new technologies is undoubtedly the key to improving the passenger experience while helping airlines better manage a growing number of travelers in a more sustainable way. This requires out-of-the-box thinking and Leo is exactly the sort of innovative exploration that will help airlines and airports manage the new challenges we as an industry will face in the next decade.”

Leo is a fully autonomous, self-propelling baggage robot that has the capacity to check in, print bag tags and transport up to two suitcases with a maximum weight of 32kg. It also has an obstacle avoidance capability and can navigate in a high-traffic environment such as an airport.

Leo provides a glimpse into the future of baggage handling being explored by SITA Lab and is the first step to automating the baggage process from the moment passengers drop their bags to when they collect them. Using robotics and artificial intelligence, bags will be collected, checked in, transported and loaded onto the correct flight without ever having to enter the terminal building or be directly handled by anyone other than by the passengers themselves.

Hani El-Assaad, SITA President, Middle East, India and Africa said: “Through the innovative work of the SITA Lab we are able to tackle some of the key challenges that face airlines and airports today. Leo demonstrates that technologies such as robotics can help the air transport industry manage the growth in traffic in a more sustainable way while offering passengers an unencumbered journey through the airport and onto the aircraft.”

Leo comes to the assistance of passengers as they approach the terminal building. Touching Leo’s Scan&Fly bag drop interface opens the baggage compartment doors to allow passengers to place their bags inside. After the passengers have scanned their boarding passes, the tags are printed and can be attached to the bag. With the bags loaded and tagged, the compartment door closes and Leo displays the boarding gate and departure time. Leo then takes the bags directly to the baggage handling area where they are sorted and connected to the correct flight.

• SITA Baggage Robot Visits Singapore and Hong Kong

Singapore | October 20, 2016– Leo, the innovative baggage robot, is touring Asia, with visits to Singapore and Hong Kong. Leo is a fully autonomous, self-propelling baggage robot which provides a glimpse into the future of baggage handling that is being explored by SITA Lab the technology research team at global IT provider SITA.

After spending time at some of SITA’s key customer locations, Leo can be caught in action at the Future Travel Experience Asia EXPO 2016 taking place 25 – 26 October in Singapore. This is Asia’s biggest free-to-attend passenger experience expo and this year the expected combined attendance of 3,000+ will have the chance to see Leo up close.

Leo, the baggage robot, has the capacity to check in, print bag tags and transport two suitcases. It also has an obstacle avoidance capability and can navigate in a high-traffic environment such as an airport. It is the first step to automating the baggage process from the moment passengers drop their bags to when they collect them.

Ilya Gutlin, SITA President Asia Pacific, said: “At SITA, innovation is a key driver of our business. It’s at the heart of everything we do. Our focus is on collaboratively developing technology solutions and services for the air transport industry, working with our airline and airport partners to stimulate technological innovation. It is great that we can share the experience that our technology research team SITA Lab has gained during the development of Leo, the baggage robot, here in Asia.”

This robot is a perfect example of how innovative thinking, neatly integrated with the systems in use across airlines and airports, can transform the passenger experience. Using robotics and artificial intelligence, Leo demonstrates how bags can be collected, checked in, transported and loaded onto the correct flight without ever having to enter the terminal building or be directly handled by anyone other than the passengers themselves.

Next stop for Leo is Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) where it will be on show for the participants of HKIA’s second Technovation Conference and Exhibition which will be focusing on smart airports.

• Leo the robot speeds up bag drop by collecting passengers’ baggage before they enter the terminal

Geneva | May 17, 2016– Passengers arriving at Geneva Airport in the past few days have received help with their bag drop from Leo, an innovative baggage robot developed by air transport IT provider SITA, which is being trialed outside the airport’s Terminal 1.

Leo is a fully autonomous, self-propelling baggage robot that has the capacity to check in, print bag tags and transport up to two suitcases with a maximum weight of 32kg. It also has an obstacle avoidance capability and can navigate in a high-traffic environment such as an airport.

Leo provides a glimpse into the future of baggage handling being explored by SITA Lab and is the first step to automating the baggage process from the moment passengers drop their bags to when they collect them. Using robotics and artificial intelligence, bags will be collected, checked in, transported and loaded onto the correct flight without ever having to enter the terminal building or be directly handled by anyone other than the passengers themselves.

Leo – named after the Italian Renaissance inventor and engineer Leonardo da Vinci who built what is now recognized as the world’s first robot – comes to the assistance of passengers as they approach the terminal building. Touching Leo’s Scan&Fly bag drop interface opens the baggage compartment doors to allow passengers to place their bags inside. After the passengers have scanned their boarding passes, the tags are printed and can be attached to the bag. With the bags loaded and tagged, the compartment door closes and Leo displays the boarding gate and departure time.

Leo then takes the bags directly to the baggage handling area where they are sorted and connected to the correct flight. The doors of the robot can only be reopened by the operator unloading the baggage in the airport.

The use of robots such as Leo means that in future fewer bags and trolleys will enter the airport terminal, reducing congestion and making airport navigation easier.

Dave Bakker, President Europe at SITA said: “Through the innovative work of the SITA Lab we are able to tackle some of the key challenges that face airports today. Leo demonstrates that robotics hold the key to more effective, secure and smarter baggage handling and is major step towards further automating bag handling in airports. Leo also provides some insight into the potential use of robots across the passenger journey in future.”

Massimo Gentile, Head of IT at Genève Aéroport, said: “In a busy airport such as Geneva Airport, the use of a robot such as Leo limits the number of bags in the airport terminal, helping us accommodate a growing number of passengers without compromising the airport experience inside the terminal. Leo also proves the case for increased use of robotics to make passengers’ journey a little more comfortable, whether it is checking in baggage, providing directions or helping them through the security process.”

Leo, which was built for SITA by BlueBotics, is part of SITA’s showcase of technology at the 2016 Air Transport IT Summit taking place from 24-26 May in Barcelona.

To watch Leo in action at Geneva Airport click on the following link: www.sita.aero/baggagerobot