Fujitsu Begins Limited Sales of Service Bots

Posted on September 15, 2005

Gizmag reports that Fujitsu is ready to beging selling a small service robot called enon. Gizmag says that Fujitsu claims the new enon robots can perform the following tasks:

1. Guidance and escorting - enon is suited for reception duties or explaining of exhibits, as it can detect when people stand in front of it and can provide a variety resourceful information such as product details, in addition to escorting guests to designations. Aside from its voice function, through its touch panel LCD monitor enon can also offer a multitude of user-friendly information through visual images. This monitor can also be utilized to administer questionnaires and through interconnection to a server can be used to accumulate guest information.
2. Transport of objects - enon can carry parcels an internal storage compartment in its torso and deliver them to a designated location. Through network interconnection, users can call for enon to come from a remote location and have goods delivered to a specified designation.
3. Security patrolling - enon is capable of regularly patrolling facilities following a pre-set route, and by using a network has the ability to transmit images of stipulated locations to a remote surveillance station. enon can also respond flexibly or to users' spontaneous requests through a network, such as directing enon to view specific sites.

Those are pretty limited uses compared to the robots we can imagine and have seen or read about from science fiction books and movies -- but it is a start. Some robotic devices are already used in factories and hospitals to transport equipment, files and tools. Enon would offer a step up from these devices. Gizmag said the robots will be sold on a limited basis from Fujitsu Frontech in Japan and that they will begin shipping in November of this year. Other blogs are also discussing Enon. Gizmodo calls the device "Your own personal Jeeves."

ROBOTS