At Kuriyama Innovation Square, in the showroom that opened in June 2026,The history and business activities of our group, etc.We are using the telepresence AI robot "temi" as a guide to introduce the product.

When opening the new showroom, there was a need for a guidance system that would clearly and accurately convey the exhibits to visitors. In particular, multilingual support for international visitors, consistent guidance quality regardless of who was present, and a well-designed flow that would guide visitors through the entire showroom were crucial points.

By introducing temi, we have created a system that guides visitors through the exhibition area in the correct order as they move around the showroom. By combining stable guidance quality, multilingual support, and flow guidance, we have achieved showroom operations that accurately deliver the information that needs to be conveyed to visitors.

In this article, we interviewed a representative from the Digital Strategy Office of Kuriyama Holdings Co., Ltd. about their use of temi at Kuriyama Innovation Square.

About Kuriyama Holdings Co., Ltd.

Founded in 1939, this is a holding company for a group of companies that primarily develop businesses in rubber and synthetic resin products.

We manufacture products that support various aspects of daily life, including industrial hoses, parts for construction and agricultural machinery, and flooring materials for sports facilities, train stations, and commercial facilities. We have core operating companies overseas in the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, and other countries, and we promote global management that covers Asia, North America, Europe, South America, and Oceania.

Kuriyama Innovation Square, where temi has now been installed, is a newly established showroom that showcases the group's businesses and history.
Official site:https://www.kuriyama-holdings.com/

1. How I learned about temi and the reason for selecting it

The ability to provide guidance while moving around was well-suited to the new showroom tour format.

At the time, members of the Digital Strategy Office within the company were considering ways to guide visitors through the showroom. They were comparing various guidance methods to find one that was easy for visitors to understand and minimized the burden on the operational side.

What attracted me to temi was the ability to guide visitors while they actually move around the showroom. I thought that being able to explain things while walking around the exhibition area with visitors, rather than just relying on posted materials or verbal explanations from staff, would allow for a more intuitive and easy-to-understand guided experience.

In this showroom, it was not only important to provide information for each exhibit, but also to consider the order in which visitors should tour the entire showroom and the flow of understanding they should follow. Initially, the order in which visitors should be guided through the showroom had not yet been clearly decided, so a means of designing the entire tour flow was needed.

With temi, all you have to do is have visitors touch the screen at the entrance, and then you can guide them along the pre-set route in order. The ability to deliver necessary information in a natural flow while allowing visitors to maintain their own pace was a major factor in our decision to adopt it.

The roles we expected temi to play were to ensure a consistently high level of quality in explanations and guidance, and to provide multilingual support. We anticipated from the beginning that we would have visitors from overseas, so multilingual support was an essential requirement. Since we have a limited number of people in-house who can handle foreign languages, we also had the challenge of "who would provide the guidance." We had high hopes that temi would allow us to standardize the guidance content and deliver the same information accurately in multiple languages.

Furthermore, the fact that temi's colors and design blended naturally with the showroom's concept and space, creating a harmonious and seamless overall effect, was also highly praised.

2. Background of Implementation

To ensure a proper guidance system for the newly established showroom is in place from the time of its opening.

What was valued during the implementation process was temi's intuitive usability. The fact that field staff can use it without specialized knowledge, making it easy to integrate into daily operations, was a major factor.

Since this implementation was for a newly established showroom, there weren't any specific issues with the existing guidance system. However, from the time of its opening, we wanted to create a guidance system that was easy for visitors to understand and easy for staff to use.

The expected visitors include international visitors, business partners, stakeholders, and job-seeking students. A wide range of use is anticipated, such as visits for new graduate recruitment, job offer ceremonies, and visits to business partners as part of sales activities.

Furthermore, we hold an annual event that attracts stakeholders from various parts of the world, including Asia, North America, and Europe, and we anticipate that these participants will also use temi.

For such a diverse group of visitors, it was crucial to provide consistent, high-quality guidance, ensuring that the content and order of explanations didn't vary depending on the guide. Especially for international visitors, establishing a system to provide the same information in multiple languages ​​was considered essential for smoother understanding.

On the other hand, before implementation, there were concerns such as "Will the operation method be difficult?" and "Will visitors actually use it?". Therefore, both ease of use for on-site staff and a guidance experience that visitors would naturally accept became important points to confirm during implementation.

3. Daily Operations

A guided tour of approximately 20 minutes, following the exhibition's flow.

Currently, temi is located in our group's showroom.History and business activities, etc.It is used as a guide to introduce the exhibits. The tour lasts approximately 20 minutes. The guide takes you through all the exhibits in the showroom in a predetermined order.

The primary use case is when visitors are freely browsing the showroom. It's not completely unmanned operation; instead, an in-house staff member is present, and temi handles exhibit explanations and supplementary information, supporting an environment where visitors can easily browse at their own pace.

In implementing temi, we created guidance content after conducting interviews with the person in charge of each department. We also adjusted the timing of image displays and explanations to ensure a clear and easy-to-understand flow for visitors.

The fact that temi moves along a set route and proceeds with explanations of each exhibit in the correct order, ensuring that the information to be conveyed is presented accurately and consistently at a high level, is a major value.

Overcoming language barriers to clearly communicate the group's business.

Multilingual support is one of the important roles we expect temi to play. We have established a system to provide information in the main languages ​​used within the group, including Japanese, English, Spanish, Chinese, and Thai.

Traditionally, when dealing with overseas visitors, our staff would provide assistance in English, depending on the situation. However, there were limits to the number of personnel available, and depending on the number of visitors and their languages, this could sometimes place a heavy burden on the staff.

Temi's multilingual guidance reduces reliance on individual staff for foreign language support, ensuring that visitors receive the same accurate information. Receiving guidance in one's native language deepens understanding of the exhibits and contributes to increased confidence and trust in the company and its group businesses.

For visitors from overseas in particular, this provides an opportunity to learn about our business operations and products in Japan. Since our business operations and products differ significantly between Japan and overseas, it is hoped that this will not only help them understand products they are already familiar with, but also deepen their understanding of our business and products in Japan.

Providing showroom tours in multiple languages ​​naturally conveys our commitment to operating as a global company. In the future, we plan to utilize temi's multilingual capabilities in group meetings and other events involving visitors from our overseas offices to facilitate smooth guidance and communication.

4. Reactions and effects after implementation

The systematized flow of information ensures that the message is conveyed in the correct order, providing a sense of security.

After actually implementing temi, I've found it incredibly useful not only for its guidance functions but also for directing people. Since starting to use it, I've really come to appreciate the convenience of having it guide people along the showroom's layout.

While those involved in creating the showroom can provide some guidance on the exhibits and their background, when other employees guide visitors, the order of explanations and the content conveyed can vary from person to person. temi allows for explanations of each exhibit while moving along a set route in order, ensuring a consistently high level of guidance for visitors regardless of who is present. This is a major benefit that has been realized since implementation.

The friendly and approachable nature of the device was particularly impressive, both from visitors and within the company. One person even suggested giving it a name. The reactions indicated that it was being recognized not merely as a simple information device, but as a "presence" within the showroom.

Furthermore, our company song plays as background music during the temi tour, creating a unique atmosphere throughout the showroom that reflects our company's style. It not only guides visitors through the exhibits in order, but also enhances the overall presentation and experiential value of the space.

5. Future prospects

Expanding its use in a way that is uniquely ours, we aim to create a memorable showroom experience.

Kuriyama Innovation Square is positioned as a place to co-create challenges and the future with stakeholders and enhance the synergy of the group. The aim is to create a space where each visitor can discover new possibilities.

Regarding temi, we plan to first use it extensively in the showroom, observe visitor reactions, and then consider how to utilize it in the future.

Furthermore, in the future, we plan to expand its use to our own exhibitions and other events, leading to more efficient visitor management.

Introducing robots into showrooms and exhibition facilities offers significant advantages, including the ability to provide visitors with high-quality guidance and multilingual support. Furthermore, their value lies in their ability to offer not just explanations, but memorable experiences.

We believe that by tailoring the content and operation to the specific installation location, we can discover more ways to utilize the system that are uniquely suited to our company.