Tokyo’s Haneda Airport adopts WHILL’s autonomous mobility devices to help practice social distancing Among countless other unexpected effects
COVID-19 has accelerated the adoption of all manner of new technologies, as people look for ways to reduce transmission of the virus.
Yokohama, Japan-based WHILL
has already seen a bit of traction for its autonomous mobility device in the forms of global trials in recent years,
and now that the novel coronavirus has become a serious concern, at least one airport is further embracing the tech.
The startup
noted this morning that Tokyo’s Haneda Airport will be using the WHILL Autonomous Drive System to help passengers with reduced mobility travel between gates.
The implementation is still fairly limited, serving gates three through seven at the world’s fourth busiest airport.
WHILL
cites concerns over the spread of COVID-19 as a major factor in the acceleration of the adoption, following 11 trials that have served around 400 passengers since 2019.
The addition of autonomous personal mobility vehicles will go some ways toward reducing contact between staff and passengers and hopefully limit the spread of the virus in the process.
TechCrunch
Electric wheelchair WHILL:
Voices of favorable comments from senior citizens during demonstration of autonomous driving at 5 domestic and overseas airports-
Introducing the system at the 2019 consumer electronics technology exhibition CES 2019
May: Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands,
November: Haneda Airport and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport,
December: Abu Dhabi International Airport of the United Arab Emirates and Winnipeg International Airport of Canada
In the manned demonstration test, more than 100 airport users actually boarded.
In the demonstration experiment:
Install an electric wheelchair station in the area after passing the security area,
After the airport user boarded and moved to the desired boarding gate and got off,
The style of returning to the station unattended.
MONOist