2021-03-18

DMP, Partner KOSHIDA to Realize Safe Work and Improve Operational Efficiency in Logistics Warehouses

Digital Media Professionals Inc. (Headquarters: Nakano-ku, Tokyo, President & COO: Tsuyoshi Osawa, hereinafter referred to as DMP) announces technology alliance with KOSHIDA CORPORATION (Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President and CEO, Representative Director: Ryozo Koshida, hereinafter referred to as KOSHIDA) for developing technology for the application of “Visual SLAM”, which performs detection of and distance measurement to objects, self-position estimation and environmental mapping using a wide-angle camera in a 5G environment at logistics sites, in order to realize safe work and improve operational efficiency in logistics warehouses.

In recent years, the growth of the EC market has brought about changes in the logistics industry, such as the diversification of small-lot deliveries and the resulting complications in warehouse operations, which has become more drastic due to the COVID-19. In addition, the declining birthrate, aging population, and declining working population have made it difficult to secure human resources, highlighting the issue of labor shortages. Against this backdrop, efforts to improve the efficiency of logistics systems through automation and manpower saving using unmanned vehicles in warehouses and collaborative robots, as well as using IoT, AI, and big data, are beginning to accelerate.

KOSHIDA, a trading company founded in 1930, has a proven track record in the automotive and logistics industries, as well as strengths in cloud computing and IoT system development technologies and solutions. DMP, on the other hand, has GPU technology, advanced semiconductor development and acceleration technology, which it has cultivated over many years, and the ability to develop algorithms for automatic driving and autonomous robots. By combining their respective strengths, the two companies aim to solve problems in the logistics industry while improving operational efficiency and taking safety measures.

The partnership with KOSHIDA is part of “DMP 3D Perception” initiative for the robotics field. By applying DMP’s GPU technology, SLAM technology, and AI recognition technology to the robotics field, DMP aims to provide solutions for its customers’ problems and contribute to the creation of new values for them. Especially in the logistics field, there are many products whose markets are expected to grow, such as AGVs and cooperative robots where DMP can utilize its technologies, so DMP will provide total solutions to its customers in strong cooperation with partners including KOSHIDA.