Tokyo, March 3, 2023 - NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701) has developed robot control AI that can flexibly respond to frequent changes in operations and layouts in distribution warehouses, factories and other locations. By utilizing this technology, NEC will promote the introduction of robots to worksites that are conventionally dependent on human labor, and contribute to the improvement of productivity and working styles.

In recent years, due to labor shortages and other factors, the introduction of automated equipment, such as robots, is progressing for simple operations that repeat the same work. However, work operations require the handling of a wide variety of shapes and arrangements, and it may take several months for AI to thoroughly learn the work in advance. Moreover, items that are being handled and work layouts may change frequently. For this reason, the introduction of robots is limited to certain work operations, and many sites rely on human labor.

By applying a “World Model" to robot control though, NEC has significantly reduced the time required for pre-learning and flexible responses to changes in environmental conditions, such as differences in equipment and work layouts. Going forward, NEC will proceed with verification of this technology, aiming for practical use during fiscal 2024.

About World Models and robot control AI applications
Recently, the research and development of World Models is attracting global attention in the field of machine learning in order to promote the use of robots. A World Model is a technology that enables predictions to be made about what will happen in the real world as a result of certain actions without actually trying them. For example, if a person opens their hand while holding an item, the item will drop to the floor due to gravity. Consequently, depending on the posture of the item when the hand's grip is released, the item will fall, etc., and come to a rest. Based on common sense accumulated through experiences in the past, humans can imagine what will happen in the future as a result of their actions and act appropriately. However, in order to achieve the same results with a robot, it is necessary to comprehensively program this common sense, which is a major issue in the autonomous control of robots. World Models are expected to be a key technology in the provision of autonomous control, in which robots understand the structure and common sense of the real world and decide their actions while imagining the future.

According to NEC research, this is the world's first robot control AI that applies a World Model and autonomously generates and executes optimal operations with minimal failures, even under previously untested work conditions. This ensures that even irregularly placed items that are different sizes and shapes than those learned can be accurately grasped and placed in the correct position and orientation.

Features of this technology

NEC announced part of this technology at the International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2022), a top international conference in the field of robotics, held in Kyoto, Japan, from October 23-27, 2022.

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About NEC Corporation
NEC Corporation has established itself as a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies while promoting the brand statement of “Orchestrating a brighter world.” NEC enables businesses and communities to adapt to rapid changes taking place in both society and the market as it provides for the social values of safety, security, fairness and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential. For more information, visit NEC at https://www.nec.com.