AI disinfection robots, mobility vehicles debut at new station in Tokyo

East Japan Railway Co. unveiled Monday autonomous disinfection and mobility robots at its recently opened high-tech station in Tokyo, as it aims to introduce them by March 2025. The cleaning robot, which was developed by Nippon Signal Co. and Cyberdyne Inc., sanitizes handrails, benches and other parts of Takanawa Gateway Station by spraying disinfectant. The artificial-intelligence equipped robot, Clinabo CL02, uses three-dimensional cameras and sensors to avoid obstacles. JR East said it is considering using the robot and other disinfection robots to be introduced later to sanitize the inside of train cars in the future. In another demonstration, a robot that looks like a Yamanote Line train car served coffee in a conference room at the station. Other robots that carry luggage, food and drinks, as well as personal mobility vehicles for transporting people inside and around the station are also being operated on a trial basis as part of a project showcasing the area around the new station.