Purpose

iPresence is a communications technology company. We do not narrowly define "communication" as simply a means of conversation or transmitting information, but rather as any action that connects people, people with space, and people with information. This includes the "total of relationships," whether online or offline. Our area of ​​expertise is the design of all interactions that originate, are mediated by, and end with people.Society today is demanding the quality of communication that transcends physical distance. Rather than simple video calls, people are looking for a "sense of presence as if you're actually there" and a "sense of presence that makes you feel warmth," in other words, "semi-real." iPresence is focused on the social implementation of technologies that make this "transmission of presence" possible. We refer to this concept as "teleportation," and our mission is to deliver "teleportation as a service" - a real experience to any location.

Currently, the primary means for achieving this teleportation is telepresence avatar robots. In addition, the use of holograms is being considered as the next important means. Telepresence avatar robots can be operated from a remote location to share the local perspective and can hold conversations, provide guidance, and provide business support. For example, this would enable a remote employee to "join" a conference room as a robot, or a remote teacher in an educational setting to converse naturally with students.Meanwhile, hologram technology is currently in the stage of technical verification for telepresence using see-through displays and short-focus projectors, and has not yet reached the stage of commercialization. Nevertheless, this technology, which can create the feeling of being in a certain place without having a physical body, is considered to be an important element supporting the next generation of remote communication.

All of these efforts are provisional forms of recreating the ideal of teleportation using modern technology, and iPresence is constantly testing and implementing these ideas to make them a reality.

Origin of the Company Name

The "i" in our company name, iPresence, comes from the Japanese characters for "I" and "love," as well as the mathematical term "imaginary number." Just as imaginary numbers are a concept used to solve incalculable problems by assuming the existence of something that does not actually exist, our philosophical foundation is based on the question, "What if presence existed here?", and the pursuit of technological solutions to social issues that cannot be solved by conventional approaches. Therefore, our core competence lies not in providing a single product, but in our ability to integrate heterogeneous elements such as robots, spatial information, artificial intelligence (AI), and human sensibilities to create optimal solutions for our customers' challenges.

Strategy

To spread technology throughout society, it is essential to build a solid track record and trust. That's why iPresence has made the spread of telepresence avatar robots its primary strategic focus. This field is still in its infancy in Japan, and few companies have the in-house system to provide complete implementation support, operational support, and system integration. Since its founding, iPresence has been involved in the implementation of its technology in a variety of spaces, including factories, offices, showrooms, medical institutions, educational facilities, and tourist attractions. Its on-site knowledge is what gives the company an advantage over its competitors.At the core of the telepresence avatar robot business are autonomous mobile robots such as temi. Rather than simply selling these as devices, the company offers them as "optimal utilization scenarios" tailored to the customer's spatial structure and business flow. It develops applications and implements AI integration according to the purpose, such as remote customer service, guidance, security, and educational support, and provides support right up to the operational phase after installation. By consistently taking on this combination of "technology x operational design x support," the company has established itself as a teleportation solutions company, rather than simply a robot sales company.

Furthermore, the company is focusing on peripheral areas such as digital twins and AI agents. Digital twins are a system that recreates real-world spaces in three dimensions, allowing for understanding and operation of the space from a remote location. This allows buildings and facilities to be visualized in virtual space, facilitating remote robot operation and analysis using AI. iPresence utilizes technologies such as "Matterport" to possess the technical capabilities to build visually beautiful, highly operable 3D models.In the field of AI agents, the company is developing its own "iPresence-Agent." This is a physical AI that runs on a robot or browser, and performs tasks and hospitality services in natural language based on the personality and role set by the user. In the future, it will also be able to connect with IoT devices in digital twin spaces and real spaces to visualize information and support decision-making.

In other words, the true core of iPresence is the set of technologies that connect robots, space, and AI, enabling a "shared sense of presence that combines the physical and the digital."

Product

iPresence's telepresence avatar robot business employs a multi-brand system that is not dependent on any particular manufacturer. Its current main product is "temi," but the company has a track record of selling and introducing autonomous mobile robots such as "Double," "Ohmni Robot," "Keigan Hato," and "PadBot." While some of the robots are no longer on sale, iPresence has acted as a trading company regardless of manufacturer, based on its philosophy of "providing the optimal means to realize teleportation." Rather than simply acting as a sales agent, the company is positioned as a company that will spread the concept of telepresence itself throughout society.

As of 2025, Temi is considered the most ideal avatar robot. With its high stability, scalability, and quality, it is increasingly being used in a variety of settings, including factories, offices, and showrooms. iPresence prioritizes sales of Temi not simply for economic reasons, but because it is the robot that can most reliably deliver the "quality of the teleportation experience" that the company claims.The company is also developing its own desktop robots, with its signature product being the single-axis Telepii. It began making orders through crowdfunding, and is manufacturing at a partner factory in Fukushima Prefecture. Through Telepii, iPresence is also making its presence felt as a hardware manufacturer. Furthermore, it has taken over the manufacturing rights and branding for the two-axis telepresence robot Kubi, previously developed by a US company, and plans to relaunch it with a domestic production system. The company has also sold the avatar robot OriHime, manufactured by Ory Lab, and by handling all manner of remote presence methods, it embodies the diversity of telepresence.

A distinctive feature of iPresence is that it can develop applications and operational systems in-house, in addition to hardware. When on-site issues cannot be fully resolved using the original cloud services of each manufacturer, the company undertakes contract development to expand functionality to suit the customer's operational objectives. In addition, the company offers applications such as "Telepotalk," "AvatarLink," and "iPresence-Agent" as its own SaaS, and has established a system for integrated management of robots, browsers, and IoT devices. This allows customers to implement remote communication in a way that suits their own business and facility operations.iPresence's business structure is a "One-stop Semi-Real Communication Provider" comprehensive model that handles solution sales, consulting sales, trading company functions, contract development, proprietary development, and customer success. This structure allows for one-stop support from problem identification to implementation, operation, and improvement. This comprehensive strength is the basis for iPresence's future evolution into an industry platform provider.

The company is also working on its own development of autonomous mobile robots, and has a track record of introducing them to research institutes and nursing homes. It has accumulated knowledge through the development of prototypes specialized for specific uses, such as nighttime patrols and monitoring. However, because mass production and maintenance require significant resources, it has currently lowered its priority and is expanding its business by utilizing machines from other manufacturers. In the future, the company plans to develop and provide its own mobile robots.Furthermore, they are also striving to realize more sensory communication, symbolized by the remote hug robot "FuAra." Developed in collaboration with Osaka Institute of Technology, FuAra is equipped with a safe soft robotic mechanism, allowing people in distant locations to share the "sense of hugging." It was exhibited at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo, where it received a great response from visitors. This project embodies iPresence's goal of "teleportation that delivers spiritual warmth."

From a branding perspective, iPresence is promoting itself as a telepresence avatar robot, but in fact it also has a track record in the fields of augmented reality, such as the metaverse and AR/XR.In the Metaverse project, we built a virtual space to enable interaction between special needs schools across regions, supporting learning and presentations through avatars. We also developed and operated a Metaverse space at the request of a company with a pavilion at the Osaka-Kansai Expo.In the AR/XR field, during the restoration of Enryakuji Temple on Mount Hiei, we provided a system that allowed visitors to scan on-site markers with their smartphones to see the building as it was before restoration. At an exhibition for a large-scale manufacturing machinery manufacturer, we developed a system that allowed visitors to overlay a life-size image of the machinery on a tablet, reducing transportation costs and promoting understanding.

In addition, we also provide support for the management of online events, and have experience providing technology support for multiple projects, including international English-language events.

Co-creation

ArchiTwin

iPresence not only develops and sells its own products, but also develops systems for other companies. A prime example is the software development and maintenance of ArchiTwin, a 3D digital twin system for the construction industry provided by ArchiTwin Inc. This system, based on Matterport, is primarily used to support construction management at architectural and construction sites, and is widely adopted by architectural design firms and general contractors. By accurately representing the site's condition in 3D and visualizing construction progress, equipment location, and work history, it enables spatial progress assessment, which was difficult with conventional two-dimensional management. Furthermore, this technology is beginning to be applied beyond the construction field, including remote management of ships and maintenance of plant facilities, and is expanding as a new management method utilizing 3D digital twins.

WELDEMOTO

Another notable example is the joint development with Takamaru Kogyo Co., Ltd., an FA robot system integrator. "WELDEMOTO," offered by the company, is a digital twin system for industrial robot arms such as FA welding robots, and iPresence is responsible for its development and maintenance. Originally commissioned by Takamaru Kogyo to handle robot programming, iPresence built this system after Takamaru Kogyo asked if it was possible to remotely perform on-site teaching work. The robot's movements, reproduced in a CG simulator, are overlaid with actual footage captured by multiple cameras, and the CG model and the actual machine's position are synchronized in real time. This allows physical interference to be detected in advance, enabling safe and efficient operation. It also makes it possible for on-site workers to teach the robot from a remote location, achieving both productivity and safety.

Project

iPresence Inc. received the Cabinet Office Minister of State for Special Missions Award for Excellence in the 7 Barrier-Free and Universal Design Promotion Merit Awards. The award recognizes the company's efforts to create social participation and learning opportunities using telepresence avatar robots for people who have difficulty going out or attending school due to illness or disability. The following two projects were particularly highly praised in this award.

"Tele Robo School Life Participation"

- A system that allows students to participate in school life despite physical distance -
This project utilizes teleportation between telepresence avatar robots—including the self-propelled temi robot, the tabletop kubi robot, and the portable telepii robot—to provide an environment where children who are unable to attend school due to illness or disability can participate in classrooms remotely. Through the robots, children can participate in lessons and other school activities, converse with friends and teachers, and freely look around the classroom during breaks, experiencing the sensation of being in the same space. This project has been promoted since 2020 as a subsidized project of the Japan Keirin and Auto Racing Association (JKA), a public interest incorporated foundation. iPresence has been subcontracted by the New Media Development Association (NYRA) to provide technology and operations. This initiative was highly praised from a universal design perspective for enabling children unable to attend school due to long-term medical treatment or other reasons to overcome physical limitations and participate in school life, thereby continuously maintaining and improving their learning opportunities and social skills.

"Expo Anywhere"

- Demonstration of social participation through a large-scale consortium -
"Anywhere Expo" is a social participation project that allows special kids (children with limited mobility due to illness or disability) to remotely explore and experience the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo site using the telepresence robot temi. The project was run by the Special Kids Future Vision Challenge Consortium, which includes multiple companies and organizations, including iPresence, and was implemented in collaboration with organizations with diverse expertise, including medical care, welfare, education, and technology. Approximately 4,000 special kids participated, freely exploring the site via the robot and interacting with on-site visitors in real time, achieving cultural experiences and social participation that transcend physical distance. This project has received international acclaim, including winning the "Social Innovation" category of the EXPO INNOVATION AWARD, co-founded by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) and the Global Institute for Industrial and Social Progress (GISPRI).

Official Selections

iPresence has been selected for several support programs led by the national and local governments as a startup that utilizes cutting-edge technology and is suitable for social implementation. These selections were made based on an evaluation not only of the cutting-edge nature of the technology, but also of its suitability for solving social issues and its feasibility as a business.

King Salmon Project (Tokyo)

The King Salmon Project is a Tokyo Metropolitan Government program that provides focused support for business growth and market expansion for startups with the potential to become unicorn companies in the future. iPresence was selected after a demonstration project with Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward Office evaluated the future potential and social significance of its business concept, which combines telepresence, digital twins, and AI. With expert support, primarily in terms of overseas marketing, business strategy, and network building, and having received approval for a discretionary contract with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the project is moving forward with efforts to implement and scale the business in society.

NEXT 5G Boosters Project (Tokyo)

The Next 5G Boosters Project is a Tokyo Metropolitan Government technology demonstration support program aimed at creating new businesses that utilize next-generation high-speed communication technologies, including local 5G. iPresence was selected for its industrial application potential for telepresence and digital twins, which utilize high-definition video transmission and low-latency communications. Through this program, they are conducting demonstrations of remote inspection, remote visitors, and remote camera operators, and are verifying an integrated model of communication infrastructure and teleportation technology.

TECH MEETS (Aichi Prefecture)

TECH MEETS is an open innovation program implemented as part of the "Aichi Digital Island Project" promoted by Aichi Prefecture. iPresence was selected as a co-creation project with ANA Central Japan Airport Co., Ltd. and Chubu Centrair International Airport Co., Ltd., under the theme of "Creating the future of 'lost-path' personalized airport guidance with cutting-edge technology." Through a demonstration of airport guidance using a telepresence avatar robot, the project aims to improve convenience for airport users and create new customer experience value.

 

As mentioned above, iPresence is engaged in an extremely diverse range of businesses considering its size, and it is difficult for anyone outside the company, let alone internal employees, to fully grasp the full picture. However, this complexity is not a simple expansion; it is the result of creating the necessary structure as a platform provider that will serve as the infrastructure for the next generation of teleportation society.