[Industry Alpha × Yamanashi Prefecture] Industry Alpha Conducts Demonstration Experiment of AMRs Using Third-Party Perspective Cameras

Industry Alpha selected for the TRY! YAMANASHI! project, conducting pilot operation of advanced solutions combining AMRs (Autonomous Mobile Robots) and image recognition technology within a factory.

Background of the Project

Industry Alpha has contributed to the smartification of manufacturing and logistics industries by utilizing solutions such as AMRs (Autonomous Mobile Robots) and optimization technologies. Amid concerns over the declining labor population throughout Japan, the demand for automation in factories and warehouses is rapidly increasing. In Yamanashi Prefecture, securing labor for its core manufacturing industry is also a growing concern, leading to the collaboration between Industry Alpha and Yamanashi Prefecture.

Yamanashi Prefecture runs the “TRY! YAMANASHI! Demonstration Experiment Support Project,” which fully supports startups and companies with advanced technologies and services in conducting demonstration experiments throughout the entire prefecture. This year marks the sixth term of the program. Among 39 applicants, four companies including Industry Alpha were selected to conduct demonstration experiments using Yamanashi Prefecture as a testbed.

Details of the Demonstration Experiment

The theme of the experiment is “AMR Control Using Third-Party Perspective Cameras.” The demonstration will be conducted at a factory in Kofu City where AMRs have already been introduced. Cameras installed in the factory and warehouse will detect the presence of workers and adjust the AMR’s behavior accordingly, enabling safer and more efficient automation.

Safe coexistence with workers is essential in automating transport using AMRs. While AMRs are equipped with sensors that detect obstacles and respond to sudden movements, blind spots remain—for example, around walls or pillars—causing situations where an AMR and a worker unexpectedly meet at intersections and become stuck facing each other.

Industry Alpha has developed software that uses cameras installed on walls and ceilings and image recognition technology to check whether workers are present in narrow paths or intersections where collision risks exist. The software permits AMRs to enter these areas only when no workers are detected. This demonstration aims to verify that pre-detection of workers in narrow paths improves operational safety.

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Future Outlook

One of the key features of Industry Alpha’s AMRs and FMS (Fleet Management System) is connectivity. They contribute to comprehensive automation by integrating with various devices and systems within factories and warehouses. Collaboration with cameras is just one example; the company actively seeks to utilize information from existing cameras inside facilities.

Moreover, Industry Alpha plans to harness data not only from cameras but also from devices such as fire alarms, press machines, and welding machines to control AMRs and other robots, aiming to realize truly smart factories and smart warehouses.