Toyota Develops Robots for the Olympics

While most autonomous vehicles that have this rectangular configuration are either (1) people conveyances or (2) grocery delivery systems, for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Toyota has developed this—the Field Support Robot (FSR) for another purpose, one that is certainly Olympic-centric but probably few of us ever even think about: The FSR will be used as part of throwing events, as in the javelin, so that it will follow operating staff that are sent out to recover the spears. The FSR will be able to navigate its way around any obstacles. The objective of this autonomous vehicle is to reduce the time needed to recover items, as well as reduce the number of people who are required to accomplish the tasks. (Presumably the top of the vehicle is open in order to accommodate the spears.)

Toyota tech designed to assist spectators at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Another of the mobile robotic devices that Toyota has developed for use at the Olympic Stadium is the Human Support Robot (HSR), which will guide guests to their seats and also be used to deliver snacks. The HSR is being supplemented by the DSR, or Deliver Support Robot, which will also deliver drinks and other things to viewer who have ordered from a table. Toyota anticipates that the robots will serve over 1,000 spectators that required mobility assistance during the Games.

Toyota, incidentally, is a worldwide partner of both the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.