Making full use of "temi," the master of creating opportunities | Shimane Prefectural Ironworkers' Cooperative Association
Making exhibition guides easier to understand. temi aims to be a catalyst for connecting manufacturing companies with digital transformation.
"Communication is possible even without human presence," "DX becomes a personal matter"—two values created by temi.
Organizations that operate exhibition facilities and showrooms share common challenges. Maintaining permanent staff is costly. On the other hand, it's a waste if the appeal of the exhibits isn't fully conveyed to visitors. Furthermore, in traditional manufacturing industries, the term "DX" (digital transformation) sounds like something from a distant world, hindering the shift in mindset among local businesses.
The telepresence AI robot "temi" offers a dual approach to addressing these challenges.
[Axis 1]Enhanced communication of exhibition content: Even without staff present, the robots effectively convey the exhibition content to visitors, transforming waiting times into valuable opportunities for information exchange. Furthermore, the robots' presence can serve as a conversation starter, connecting people.
[Axis 2]Evolving DX Awareness in Local Manufacturing Companies: By experiencing DX in a tangible form like robots, local companies will realize that "DX is relevant to us as well." This will lower psychological barriers and move forward the future of manufacturing throughout the region.
An example of achieving both of these goals simultaneously is the initiative of the Shimane Prefectural Ironworkers' Cooperative Association.
What is the Shimane Prefectural Ironworkers' Cooperative?
The Shimane Prefectural Ironworkers' Cooperative Association was founded in 1938 (Showa 13) and is a cooperative association with approximately 370 member companies engaged in the machinery and metal processing industry in Shimane Prefecture. It provides steel materials to its members.machinery and equipmentSales, education情报Through a wide range of businesses, we have supported the manufacturing industry in Shimane Prefecture.
It has also been selected as a "Regional Future-Leading Company" by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and in recent yearsDXWe are also actively working to promote DX (Digital Transformation) for local companies, including by establishing a support center within the cooperative.
Then, in August 2025, a new Ironworkers' Association building was completed and inaugurated. temi was introduced at this new facility.
What effects can be expected from introducing the telepresence robot "temi" into an exhibition facility?
Introducing temi into exhibition facilities yields three main benefits. Firstly, it allows for accurate delivery of exhibit information to visitors even without staff present. Secondly, the robot's presence creates opportunities for natural conversation, connecting visitors with staff and cooperative members. Thirdly, it encourages cooperative members and visitors who experience temi firsthand to consider using it in their own companies. The case of the Shimane Prefectural Ironworkers' Cooperative Association illustrates this concretely.
Axis 1: Strengthening communication of exhibition content / Even with zero permanent staff present, the exhibition continues to tell its story.
Another staff member greets you at the main entrance.
The exhibition booths at the new Ironworkers' Hall are generally designed without permanent staff presence. While this is a common operating style for many organizations and public facilities, it traditionally tended to result in an environment where "exhibits were simply placed there."
At the new Ironworkers' Hall, temi is placed in the "exchange space" located immediately inside the main entrance on the first floor. When visitors enter, temi greets them with "Welcome." From there, the experience of being guided around the hall begins.
Temi, who waits near the main entrance, greets visitors and then guides those who show interest to the exhibiting company booths and exhibits inside the museum. As the first point of contact for visitors, Temi plays the role of reception and museum guidance.
With a limited number of staff, it's not easy to respond immediately to every visitor. Temi assists with greetings and providing guidance within the museum, ensuring visitors are welcomed without waiting and transforming a simple visit into a meaningful interaction with exhibiting companies and product information.
It changes every month, so there's something new to discover each time you visit.
The exhibition space features processed goods and booths from member companies. The exhibits are updated monthly, ensuring that visitors will discover something new each time they visit.
Accordingly, temi's guided tour program is updated every month. Instead of simply viewing the exhibits, temi provides audio explanations, allowing visitors to understand the company's characteristics, technology, and the background of its products—information that might be difficult to convey through exhibits alone.
"I think it's great that, in addition to just looking at the exhibits, Temi speaks, conveying information about the companies that you wouldn't get just by looking at the exhibits."
Since the monthly changing exhibitions became a regular feature, more visitors are reportedly touching temi to listen to explanations. The combination of updated exhibition content and guidance from temi has created an exhibition space where visitors can "discover something new every time they visit."
The efforts to encourage people to "touch" the exhibit generated excitement.
The initial challenge in implementing temi was getting visitors to actually interact with it. Even when they came in front of the screen, there was a slight hurdle to overcome before they actually touched it.
Therefore, we carefully implemented measures such as adding pop-ups to the screens to create opportunities for visitors to naturally become interested and want to touch the exhibits.
The event also included activities that allowed participants to interact with temi in a fun way, such as placing candy on the tray on temi's back and running it, and a quiz rally that could only be completed by operating temi. As a result, participants actively engaged, and the venue was reportedly very lively.
Simply installing robots isn't enough; considering how to encourage people to naturally interact with them and designing the points of contact accordingly is what leads to the successful adoption of temi.
Even executives use it. The system is designed to run smoothly even without a designated person in charge.
Temi's presence also serves as a conversation starter between staff and visitors.
Simply by saying "Try touching here" to visitors, you can naturally guide them into using the device. It's easy to use even for staff who aren't on-site, and it's said that executives can be seen encouraging visitors to "Try touching it" and demonstrating how to use temi on the spot.
The system is simple to use, designed to convey the message, "Press here and you'll be guided to the exhibit." This allows anyone to easily use it without relying on a specific staff member.
Temi not only guides visitors, but also serves as an entry point that fosters conversations between people and increases interest in the exhibition space.
It makes you stop in your tracks. Temi's presence at the exhibition draws people in.
temi is also proving useful at external venues. The person in charge recalls their experience taking it to an exhibition:
"When we moved around the booth calling out to people, quite a few stopped and asked, 'What is this?' It seems that when our staff approached them after they heard temi's explanation, it gave them an opportunity to explain in more detail. It definitely has the power to attract people. We've been discussing that this kind of use might be effective."
Temi creates the initial points of contact that are difficult to generate simply by arranging exhibits. It was a moment where we truly felt the high level of visitor attraction power at the exhibition, in the sense that it captured the interest of visitors and led to conversations with staff.
Axis 2: Evolving DX awareness among local manufacturing companies / Creating new opportunities for union members
An arrangement intended to be seen.
When implementing temi, the person in charge had more on their mind than just improving the efficiency of their own work.
"I don't think there are many companies in Shimane Prefecture that have introduced robots like temi. It's quite novel, and we thought it would be meaningful if our members could actually see it and realize, 'This kind of technology exists.'"
The community center is a place that union members visit regularly for meetings and events. Having temi there allows visiting union members to naturally interact with robots and gives them an opportunity to realize, "Oh, there are robots that can be used like this too."
Beyond simply providing tours of the building and improving operational efficiency, the hall itself has become a place where people can experience the application of new technologies.
"Could we use this at our company too?" —Specific questions that arose at the information session.
The introduction of temi has also led to concrete contact with member companies. At one information session, a representative from a member company who saw temi said, "This is exactly the kind of robot we were looking for."
Seeing and operating temi in action allows union members to connect their own work challenges with the potential of robot utilization. Its use at the hall goes beyond mere display and guidance, serving as an opportunity for them to consider whether incorporating new technologies could solve the challenges they face in their own companies.
We will continue to think together about what is best for our union members.
At the heart of temi's utilization is a consistent approach of "continuing to think about what is best for our members."It's about momentum. When companies from within and outside the prefecture come to the Ironworkers' Hall, we handle setting up business meetings and providing core support.To allow staff to concentrate, we handle tasks that can be managed by temi, such as initial guidance within the building and directing staff to booths.We intend to actively utilize temi. Through exhibitions and in-house displays...Therefore, we want as many people as possible to see the valuable exhibits that we have borrowed from our member companies.One of the ways we can support you is by effectively showcasing the excellent technical skills of our members..
The temi placed in the hall is not just a simple information robot. Even when you see it in action...By doing so, member companies can say, "We can solve the problems we face in our own workplaces with this technology."This serves as a hint and living example of DX (digital transformation), prompting the thought, "Maybe this is the case."
Business efficiency improvements, customer service, exhibition guidance, and sales channel development support. Utilizing temi unlocks the potential of member companies.This is one of our ongoing efforts to consider what we, as the Iron Workers' Association, can do to expand this initiative.
Next step: Dialogue combined with AI
"We're currently experimenting with various methods to get temi to think a little before answering customer inquiries. We feel that if it can do that, its range of applications will expand even further. We hope to implement such operations in the future."
If temi can answer visitors' questions on the spot, the possibilities for guidance and exhibition explanations will expand even further. In addition to the current museum guidance and exhibition guidance, the use of temi is poised to move to the next stage by creating more interactive communication.
Temi as a "master at creating opportunities"
What we can learn from the case of the Shimane Prefectural Ironworkers' Cooperative is that temi is not merely an explanatory tool.
- A catalyst for connecting exhibiting companies with visitors.
- A starting point for conversation between visitors and union members
- The trigger for manufacturing companies in Shimane to embrace DX
- A trigger for thinking about improving our company's operations
The entity that creates every "first step"—this is the essential value of temi in this case study..
The driving force behind its implementation was a sense of mission to the local community.
The Shimane Prefectural Ironworkers' Cooperative Association promoted the introduction of temi by staff members who considered supporting the entire manufacturing industry in Shimane Prefecture as "their mission."
Simply introducing tools won't produce results. It's crucial that people with a sense of mission choose and utilize the appropriate methods—the Shimane Prefectural Ironworkers' Cooperative Association serves as a prime example of this.
FAQ
Q. How can the telepresence robot "temi" be used in exhibition facilities?
In exhibition booths without permanent staff, this system automatically handles greetings, exhibit explanations, and guidance within the venue. By regularly updating the guidance program, even repeat visitors can receive new information each time.
Q. Can't I use temi without a designated person in charge?
With a simple screen design, even staff members other than the person in charge can guide visitors by saying, "If you press here, you'll go to the exhibit area." At the Shimane Prefectural Ironworkers' Cooperative, the staff working at the hall naturally utilize this system.
Q. Can temi be useful during events as well?
It is used both at exhibitions and in-house events. In some cases, it has functioned as a "visitor-attracting device" that stops visitors in their tracks while moving, creating opportunities for staff to provide explanations.
Q. Are there any special advantages to introducing this system in unions or industry associations?
By actually experiencing temi at halls and facilities, union members are prompted to think, "If we adopt new technology, we might be able to solve the challenges we face in our own company." The fact that it serves as an entry point for unions and industry associations to view business improvement and DX as something that concerns them personally is a major advantage of using it.
Give your organization a "catalyst" too.
We want to improve the visitor experience while keeping staffing costs down. We want to change the mindset of local communities and organizations through digital transformation. Temi can offer significant value to organizations facing these challenges.
As demonstrated by the Shimane Prefectural Ironworkers' Cooperative Association's efforts, temi is a master at creating the "first step." Why not start a new initiative in your organization as well?
