Otis Connects Elevators with Cleaning Robot at Ritsumeikan University

Nippon Otis Elevator Company has enabled an autonomous cleaning robot at Ritsumeikan University’s Biwako-Kusatsu Campus to travel independently between floors using Otis Integrated Dispatch™, a technology that integrates service robots with elevators. Nippon Otis is the Japanese subsidiary of Otis Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: OTIS), the world’s leading elevator and escalator manufacturing, installation, service, and modernization company.

As labor shortages continue to intensify in Japan due to an aging population¹, universities and other large facilities are exploring automation to support routine operations. At Ritsumeikan University’s Biwako-Kusatsu Campus, the robot-elevator integration enables an autonomous cleaning robot to access multiple floors as part of its cleaning route throughout a seven-story university building spanning more than 22,800 square meters.

By connecting the robot and elevator through the cloud, Otis Integrated Dispatch enables the robot to move independently between floors without human assistance. The solution extends the robot's operating range beyond a single floor and supports automated cleaning across multiple levels and areas of the building.

“Maintaining a large facility has made it increasingly challenging to secure and effectively deploy cleaning staff,” said Hitoshi Kitani, Manager, BKC Division, Cleotech, which manages facilities at Ritsumeikan University. “By enabling a cleaning robot to operate across multiple floors, this solution allows cleaning staff to focus on higher-value activities such as detailed cleaning and inspections.”

Nippon Otis supports customers during the planning, deployment and ongoing operation of robot-elevator integration projects. This includes the coordination of integration requirements and assessment of the operating environment.

Another key requirement for robot-elevator integration is dependable elevator operation, and the company also emphasizes the need for preventive maintenance and regular inspections designed to support elevator performance and reliability and smooth robot operations.

“At Otis, we are committed to helping customers by understanding their evolving needs and enabling smarter facilities operations as buildings adapt for the future,” said Nippon Otis President Patrick Yeung. “Our robot-elevator integration and expert service support at Ritsumeikan University's Biwako-Kusatsu Campus frees the robots to move by themselves over different floors, helping our customer to expand automated cleaning. By enabling people and robots to work together more effectively, our solution for existing infrastructure helps customers address workforce challenges while maintaining efficient, reliable building operations.”

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What is Otis Integrated Dispatch^TM for service robots?

• Otis Integrated Dispatch is a cloud-based or on-premise API solution for integrating service robots with Otis elevators.
• It enables access to multiple elevators – so the robot can move to an available elevator and keep going.
• Almost any autonomous service robot can integrate with this Otis solution. The technology is compatible with Otis commercial elevators manufactured since 1990.

Ritsumeikan University's Biwako-Kusatsu Campus	Autonomous cleaning robot using elevator access enabled by Otis Integrated Dispatch™.
Cleaning operations supported by autonomous robotics.	An Otis engineer helping maintain an elevator.

To learn more about Otis products and services, visit www.otis.com.

     1.  Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare states that despite record labor force participation, labor shortages have become more severe due to low birthrates and population aging, describing Japan as facing a "long-term and persistent labor shortage." The ministry projects the working-age population (ages 15-64) will decline from approximately 75 million in 2020 to about 62 million by 2040. To learn more, visit www.mhlw.go.jp.

About Otis

Otis gives people freedom to connect and thrive in a taller, faster, smarter world. The global leader in the manufacture, installation, service and modernization of elevators and escalators, we move 2.5 billion people a day and maintain approximately 2.5 million customer units worldwide – the industry's largest Service portfolio. You’ll find us in the world's most iconic structures, as well as residential and commercial buildings, transportation hubs and everywhere people are on the move. Headquartered in Connecticut, USA, Otis is 72,000 people strong, including 45,000 field professionals, all committed to manufacturing, installing and maintaining products to meet the diverse needs of our customers and passengers in more than 200 countries and territories. To learn more, visit www.otis.com and follow us on LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook @OtisElevatorCo.