Robot security guards to patrol Osaka train stations

Robot security guards will soon enter service at JR West stations in Osaka.

In anticipation of the increased visitor traffic expected during the Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025, JR West has decided to deploy SQ-2 robots at Shin-Osaka Station and JR Namba Station to enhance security measures within these transportation hubs.

The SEQSENSE “SQ-2” robots will be deployed at Shin-Osaka Station and JR Namba Station.

The robots will start appearing at Shin-Osaka Station in late March and at JR Namba Station in mid-April.

This comes at a time when other transport hubs, such as the Osaka Metro, are embracing technology such as allowing travellers to pay via facial recognition gates.

SEQSENSE develops and manufactures autonomous mobile robots designed to provide services in areas they believe are subject to growing labor shortages.

The “SQ-2” series of autonomous mobile security robots forms the core of the company’s current service offerings.

Since its introduction in 2019, SQ-2 robots have been used to provide security at various locations across Japan.

This deployment marks the first full-scale integration of security robots within a Japanese train station environment.

Prior to the official deployment, in December 2024, a month-long demonstration experiment was conducted at the JR West headquarters building to assess the effectiveness and safety of the proposed security enhancements.

The SQ-2 robots will perform the following security functions:

• Patrol:
  • The SQ-2 can execute both staff-directed and scheduled autonomous patrols.
  • The robots navigate autonomously to designated checkpoints and return to their charging stations upon patrol completion.
  • Patrols may also be conducted during night-time hours.
• Sentry Duty:
  • The SQ-2 will be deployed for sentry duty during peak periods.
  • The robots are equipped with a “voice call playback” function, enabling the broadcast of pre-recorded announcements.
  • The voice announcement capability will be utilized to deter disruptive behavior and prohibited activities within the station premises.

SEQSENSE and JR West intend to collaborate on expanding the robots’ functionality beyond patrol and sentry duties, exploring opportunities to enhance security, safety, and service quality through robotic automation.

The “SQ-2 Series” security robots are developed utilizing advanced technologies, including 3D sensor technology, self-location estimation algorithms, and real-time path planning algorithms.

The robots are equipped with SEQSENSE’s proprietary 3D LiDAR system, which enables detailed 3D mapping of the secured environment, detection of pedestrians and other moving objects, and monitoring of environmental changes.

They are capable of replacing or augmenting security personnel in tasks such as sentry duty, patrols, and visitor assistance.

The SQ-2 robots receive regular remote software updates to implement new features and address software issues, ensuring that the robots operate with the latest software versions.

If you’re travelling to Osaka for the 2025 Expo and pass through either Shin-Osaka Station or JR Namba Station, you may just run into the SQ-2 robots performing their security duties.

Source: PR Times

Images: © JR West, SEQSENSE Inc.