Recently I wrote about LEO the new robot that is being tested out in Geneva airport.  The device, which is made by SITA, is capable of greeting a passenger as they enter the terminal and then taking care of their luggage for them.  First they weigh each bag, before then printing off the relevant tag, checking the bags in and carrying them to the baggage handling area.

Leo is capable of navigating the airport by itself, avoiding not only the physical aspects of the building but also the passengers.  The aim is to significantly speed up the check-in process.

Wayfinding

It’s perhaps not surprising therefore that Japanese tech company Hitachi are now testing out a robot of their own that is designed to help lost travelers navigate the airport.

The EMIEW3 machine is being deployed in Tokyo’s Haneda airport and is capable of speaking both English and Japanese.

“We are hoping to use EMIEW3 to assist efforts to extend hospitality at Haneda airport through our trial runs,” said Hiroshi Sato, senior vice president and executive officer at Hitachi.

The robot engages travelers in conversation and is capable of providing them with visual information via its display panel.

The initial trial will consist of three phases, with the first seeing the robot located at a counter and replicating the role of a customer service person.

The second phase will see it take on a limited range of motions and engage in a wider range of conversations with travelers, before then progressing to the third phase where it will be looking to accompany travelers to their desired location.  It’s hoped that this final stage will be entered into in December.

“Japan has seen a recent increase in the number of foreign visitors, an increase which has raised the need for a variety of services to enable them to make the most of their visit,” Sato said.

It’s part of a range of innovations that are looking to enhance our airport experience.  Earlier this year, for instance, I wrote about a facial recognition technology that tracks people from the moment they enter the airport and is capable of running security checks without us having to queue up for a formal search.