OMRON Corporation (HQ: Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto. CEO: Yoshihito Yamada) exhibited at the first China International Import Expo (CIIE) opened with fanfare at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) from November 5. Its 4th generation table tennis coaching robot FORPHEUS and unique "robot integrated solutions" impressed business partners in China and the rest of the world, boasting OMRON's advanced automation technology to realize harmony between humans and machines in manufacturing sites.

Guided by its strategic concept of "innovative-Automation," OMRON has leveraged its unique FA technology to forge ahead with shop-floor innovation and helped to accelerate upgrade and intelligence of Chinese manufacturers. OMRON exhibited at CIIE table tennis coaching robot FORPHEUS, which is aligned with one of the CIIE themes of "a future of integration between people and machines," and its production lines with built-in robots, which achieve high-speed, high-precision, and flexible production to accelerate the realization of intelligent manufacturing.

OMRON's booth at the CIIE High-end Intelligent Equipment exhibition area

The fourth-generation FORPHEUS wowed the CIIE visitors as it played with humans. While engaging in rallies with FORPHEUS, people not only enjoy playing table tennis, but actually learn how to play better. Behind this unique development is OMRON's commitment to constantly support evolution of the relationships between humans and machines.

With super-responsive arms, acute eyes, and a smart net with a built-in display, FORPHEUS symbolizes OMRON's core technologies, "Sensing & Control + THINK," and made possible with OMRON's FA technologies. FORPHEUS is able to control the timing and direction of hitting a ball within a thousandth of a second. By predicting the trajectory of balls, this robot calculates at what angle it should move its arm and at what point it should return the ball. In addition, FORPHEUS uses AI technology to help human players improve their skills through repeated play based on acquired knowledge of the player's playing style and the trajectory of his/her balls.

A "Star" of OMRON - Table Tennis Coaching Robot FORPHEUS

FORPHEUS has shown to the world that machines can ignite humans' potential and pointed to a future where humans and machines "harmonize." Its impeccable playing techniques are a symbol of "Sensing & Control + THINK" technologies that OMRON has constantly innovated. OMRON applies these core technologies on production floors in the form of integrated solutions offered by FA robots.

OMRON is challenging to contribute to advancing and realizing intelligent Chinese manufacturing by evolving "Sensing & Control + THINK." OMRON's booth exhibits "FORPHEUS" and "robot integrated solutions" of production line with LD mobile robots and FA equipment, giving a glimpse of "near future production floor where machines and humans work in harmony."

OMRON's production line with "robot integrated solutions"

At the Hongqiao International Economic and Trade Forum, Director and Chairman Fumio Tateishi of OMRON stated: "The Chinese market is full of vigor and offers huge potential. As such, it is one of the most important markets for OMRON. It is our belief that when we pursuit sustainability, we cannot realize "a better society" without trade and industry. In this context, corporate raison d'etre is being questioned, and therefore, a company should challenge social issues through both aspects of "business" and "sustainability." OMRON will continue to apply our unique "Sensing & Control + THINK" core technologies to contribute for a better future with our partners in China."

Chairman Tateishi speaks at the Hongqiao International Economic and Trade Forum