Kawasaki Heavy Industries has launched a new sales corner featuring the social robot Nyokkey at Kawasaki Robostage, a place to learn about robots in Odaiba.
Nyokkey is a semi-humanoid robot designed to operate in the same environment as humans. Drawing on robot technologies developed for the manufacturing industry, it has been adapted into a general-purpose platform for service-sector applications such as guidance, customer service, and transportation.
In the merchandising area, visitors place orders for desired products using tablets. Nyokkey then retrieves the items by autonomously navigating to the correct location using positional information obtained from a 3D camera installed above the display shelf. The robot picks up the products and delivers them to checkout staff.
Accurately retrieving items from a display without a dedicated positioning mechanism is a challenging task for autonomous mobile robots. Nyokkey addresses this challenge by employing a vision system that uses a fixed 3D camera to acquire highly precise positional data based on the shelf reference. The robot continuously verifies and corrects its position during movement, eliminating recognition gaps between the camera and the robot and enabling stable, positioning-free item pickup.
This mechanism enables the robot to operate in the same environment as humans. Visitors can experience a “shopping experience of the future,” in which robots play an active role as a familiar and approachable presence.
Since its reopening in November last year, Kawasaki Robostage has introduced Nyokkey, which is equipped with a generative AI system that enables it to generate responses and communicate with visitors. With the introduction of the new merchandising system, two Nyokkey units will now be deployed in different roles, aiming to present a vision of a society in which humans and robots coexist.
Kawasaki Robostage, which will mark its 10th anniversary in August, has designated 2026 as its anniversary year and plans to host a variety of events and exhibitions, including the introduction of Nyokkey in the merchandise sales area.
Further details will be announced on the website.
About Kawasaki Robostage
Opened by Kawasaki Heavy Industries in August 2016 in Odaiba, Tokyo, Kawasaki Robostage is an interactive space where visitors can learn about robots based on the concept of “coexistence and cooperation between humans and robots.” Under the theme “What is a robot?”, the facility offers hands-on experiences designed to deepen understanding of robotics and encourage visitors to envision a future in which humans and robots live and work together.
[Opening hours]
Weekdays: 13:00-18:00
Weekends and holidays: 10:00-18:00
＊Closed on Tuesdays. If Tuesday falls on a public holiday, the facility will remain open.
＊Opening hours may be shortened, or the facility may be temporarily closed or restrict admission without prior notice due to equipment maintenance, media coverage, or other operational reasons.
