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Meet the Robots of Smart City Takeshiba, Part 3: Moving Vending Machine Robots

Meet the Robots of Smart City Takeshiba, Part 3: Moving Vending Machine Robots

After spending some time in the country, one thing that many visitors to Japan immediately notice is the large number of vending machines. According to Statista, at the end of 2022 there were close to 4 million vending machines in the nation, with 56.4% of them selling various types of beverages.

At an event held in the Takeshiba District of Tokyo on September 17 and 18, 2023, Asahi Soft Drinks Co., Ltd. and SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) showed how robots could take the vending machine purchase experience to the next level. The Takeshiba District, home to SoftBank headquarters, is designated as a National Strategic Special Zone by the Japanese government, and as such, a testing ground for advanced Smart City technologies. For example, an autonomous robot called "RICE" rode company elevators to deliver SEVEN-ELEVEN products to SoftBank employees, and autonomous delivery robots traversed public roads around SoftBank headquarters.

During the September event, called "A Glimpse into the Exciting Future – CHANGE TOMORROW," Asahi Soft Drinks showcased an experimental vending machine collaboration with SoftBank's autonomous robot "Cuboid." The demonstration was conducted in line with Asahi Soft Drinks’ long-term goal of creating new sales channels and vision where robots can serve as mobile vending machines.

Robots deliver drinks after receiving orders from smartphones

Robots deliver drinks after receiving orders from smartphones

By scanning a QR code with their smartphones, customers activated a LINE mini-app, enabling them to choose their preferred beverage from Asahi Soft Drinks’ "Moving Vending Machine" app. After receiving orders from visitors, SoftBank’s autonomous robot Cuboid delivered drinks to the nearest delivery spots set up near each table.

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Event-goers who used the moving vending machine, which automatically avoided obstacles and bumping into people, said the experience felt distinctly futuristic. Others remarked on how cute Cuboid was when it spoke and made noises. Many also found the order screen on the app to be user-friendly.

First outdoor trial of its kind for moving vending machines

A representative from Asahi Soft Drinks in charge of the demonstration commented, "Last year, we conducted an experiment within our headquarters, but this is the first time we've done it outdoors. Our goal is to utilize robots to deliver what’s needed, where it's needed and when it's needed. We want to deliver refreshing beverages to people and bring smiles to children. Studying the results of this demonstration, we’ll now aim to improve delivery operations and the app. Currently people stock Cuboid with drinks, but in the future, we'd like the robot to handle this without human intervention."

Kensuke Hanajiri, who works on the initiative at SoftBank’s Digital Engineering Division, said, "At our enterprise business, we utilize digital technologies to address various challenges faced by industries. Our aim is to support Asahi Soft Drinks’ vision and we’re excited to work with them on practical vending machine applications that utilize robots."

(Posted on October 10, 2023)
by SoftBank News Editors