Toyota develops tour guide robot

-New Robot to Give Tours at Toyota Kaikan Exhibition Hall from Aug. 27, 2007-

TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announced today that it has developed a tour guide robot that will escort visitors around the various displays of Toyota Kaikan Exhibition Hall in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan from August 27.

The newly developed tour guide robot is equipped with autonomous movement capabilities for avoiding obstacles and with jointed fingers, allowing it to sign autographs. The robot is also able to interact with visitors through a combination of verbal communication and gestures.

TMC is applying its mobility and manufacturing technologies, as well as its approach to making things, to developing Toyota Partner Robots that will support people in their daily lives and to help create a healthy and comfortable society in the future. Toyota Partner Robots performed at the Toyota Group Pavilion during the 2005 World Exposition in Aichi. Since then, TMC has been committed to the continuous development of these robots, focusing on the four areas in which they can be of the most use to humans: assistance with domestic duties, assistance with nursing and medical care, assistance with manufacturing and assistance with short-distance personal transport.

TMC plans to incorporate what it learns from using the tour guide robot at the Toyota Kaikan Exhibition Hall to further improve and develop its robots.

Media Tour

Persons interested in attending an August 27 media showing at Toyota Kaikan Exhibition Hall should contact Paul Nolasco/James Corbett at the Corporate Communications Department of the Public Affairs Division, TMC (Tel.: 03-3817-9161/9170).