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TRI Tele Presence Robot
Robotics
Toyota Introduces TRI's T‑TR1, a Virtual Mobility/Tele‑Presence Robot 2 Minute Read

Toyota Robots Help People Experience Their Dreams of Attending the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020

Dedicated to “Mobility For All,” Toyota robots augment and amplify human capabilities

TOKYO, Japan ―Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota), as a worldwide partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, aims to provide mobility solutions that go beyond providing official vehicles for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020. One way Toyota is doing this is by participating in the "Tokyo 2020 Robot Project", a project led by the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020) that brings the government, Tokyo Metropolitan government, as well as Games' partners together with experts in the field of robotics. At Tokyo 2020, the robots to be introduced by Toyota will be used to support the mobility of people at various locations and venues. By helping people feel and experience their hopes and dreams, Toyota believes it will be able to further contribute to the excitement and success of the Tokyo 2020 Games.

Nobuhiko Koga, Chief Officer of Toyota's Frontier Research Center, said: "At Toyota, we use industrial robot technology for a variety of applications based on our dedication to 'Supporting human life activities and living in harmony with people'. For example, since 2004, we have developed partner robots focused on support for people unable to move on their own, including the aging population. Now, as we transform into a mobility company, we are expanding our robotics efforts to provide all people with the freedom to move. 'Mobility for all' is not only the 'physical' movement of a person or thing from one location to another, but also includes 'virtual' mobility of a person. This provides further opportunities to experience new things, meet and interact with others, or to be 'moved' emotionally. At Tokyo 2020, we want to capture the imagination of spectators by providing support robots as we do our part to make the Games a success."

Among the robots to be used at the 2020 games is TRI's T-TR1:

  • T-TR1 is a virtual mobility/tele-presence robot developed by Toyota Research Institute in the United States. It is equipped with a camera atop a large, near-lifesize display.

  • By projecting an image of a user from a remote location, the robot will help that person feel more physically present at the robot's location.

  • With T-TR1, Toyota will give people that are physically unable to attend the events such as the Games a chance to virtually attend, with an on-screen presence capable of conversation between the two locations.

Read About Other Toyota Robots at the 2020 Games