Demonstration test of nursing care support using remote-controlled robots conducted

M-SOLUTIONS, Inc. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, President and CEO: Mitsuhiro Sato) is collaborating with SoftBank Corp. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President and CEO: Ken Miyauchi) to develop humanoid robots. Pepper", a robot remote control system developed by Asura Tech Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, President and CEO: Masato Sakatani, Chief Robot Creator: Wataru Yoshizaki) of SoftBank Group in preparation for its introduction in nursing care facilities. We would like to inform you that we have conducted a verification using "VRcon for Pepper" (VRcon).

VRcon is software that allows you to remotely control Pepper connected to the Internet using a smartphone, tablet, computer, etc. In addition to operating Pepper remotely, it is also possible to communicate using video and audio, and in addition to being able to output the voice of a remote operator through Pepper's speakers, it also has the ability to read out what the operator enters on the keyboard using Pepper's voice. Also equipped. By using VRcon, it is possible for Pepper to move freely and have conversations under real-time human control.

The purpose of this demonstration test was to demonstrate the feasibility of both providing sufficient nursing care services and reducing the burden on helpers by introducing a remote-controlled robot at nursing care sites. The robot was operated remotely and used the robot to communicate and monitor care service users in remote locations. The demonstration test was conducted on August 24th and 25th, 2016 at the Wakaba Care Center, a nursing care facility in Adachi Ward, Tokyo, and many nursing care service users and helpers actually experienced it.

M-SOLUTIONS will reflect the voices of those who have experienced this demonstration test and work with SoftBank and Asratec to fully introduce Pepper and VRcon in nursing care facilities.

■ Asratec Co., Ltd. Company Profile
Company name: Asratec Co., Ltd.
Address: 45, Kanda Higashimasushita-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Representative: Masato Sakatani, President and Representative Director
URL: http://www.asratec.co.jp/
Establishment date: July 5, 2013
Capital: 510 million yen (including capital reserves)
Business content: Planning, development, sales, and consulting for "V-Sido" related products

■ About M-SOLUTIONS, Inc.
M-SOLUTIONS, Inc., Ltd. is a mobile robot application development company of SoftBank Technology Group. Founded as a SoftBank group company, we have mainly been involved in system development for the group. As SoftBank Group steadily expanded, M-SOL worked on numerous projects and led them to success. In the future, robots will rapidly penetrate society, similar to smartphones and tablet devices. We will take the lead in this field and contribute to customers' business expansion and operational support through robot application development and consulting.

• *Smart at robo for Pepper is a service independently developed by our company using SoftBank Robotics Corp.'s Pepper.
• *This is something our company has independently implemented using SoftBank Robotics' Pepper.
• *Company names, product names, and service names mentioned in this release are trademarks or registered trademarks of our company or each company or organization.