"I'm excited, but I'm also a little anxious..."

It was a while ago, on a pleasant early summer day in June, that the junior high school students came to the iPresence office with a mixture of expectation and tension on their faces. They were taking on the challenge of "Try-it Week," organized by Kobe City. It is a major event for junior high school students, where they learn about the meaning of work and social skills through experiences in the local community and workplaces.

iPresence has supported this activity since 2023, supporting the growth of young people who will lead the future. This year, fresh talents with hidden future potential gathered from three junior high schools. A special five-day adventure trip where students can experience cutting-edge technology and experience the reality of society has finally begun.

Opening the door to the future: Learnings and thoughts born from robot operation experience

This year's "Try-it Week" was attended by students from three junior high schools (Kobe Municipal Motoyama Junior High School, Kobe Municipal Mukouyo Junior High School, and Kobe Municipal Tomoe Support School). We will introduce three of the experiences they had with iPresence.

[First experience] Piloting the avatar robot "temi"! Excited about the future of communication

On the first day, the students met the remote-controlled robot "temi" for the first time. Their eyes lit up at the cutting-edge technology they were experiencing for the first time, and they were fascinated by the experience of remotely controlling the robot. As they actually controlled the robot remotely and communicated with it, they seemed to let their imaginations soar, wondering, "Is this what communication in the future will be like?" It was an exciting time, as if the world of science fiction had become reality.

 

[Let's express our gratitude] Avatar robots connect people in blood donation rooms

Students from the Kobe City Tomoo Support School Minato Branch, located within the Prefectural Children's Hospital, used a remote support robot to visit a blood donation room in Kobe. Utilizing their unique perspective as students with experience receiving blood transfusions, they took on the mission of conveying their gratitude to blood donors through the avatar robot "temi." When the students' words of "thank you" echoed through the robot throughout the blood donation room, it was a heartwarming moment as technology connected people's hearts. See this video:Sun TV NEWSBut it was introduced and caused a big stir.   

[Take on the Challenge at the EXPO!] Operate "temi" and interact with visitors! Develop your communication skills

The students of Motoyama Junior High School participated in the "Future Manufacturing International Expo 2024"iPresence Booth"Temi" was a big hit. They operated "Temi" remotely from the office and actively communicated with the visitors at the event. The students were nervous at first, but as they spoke through the robot, they demonstrated their natural communication skills. They conveyed the appeal of "Temi" to the many people who visited the booth, and really livened up the venue.

A student from Motoyama Junior High School remotely controls temi from his office using a PC.
A student from Motoyama Junior High School remotely controls temi from his office using a PC.
Teleporting to temi at the exhibition venue

Their words that will help you grasp the future

After the program, we received many messages from the students. Here are some of them.

  • "I used temi for sales in Tokyo and Osaka (by teleporting from my office to the temi at the venue), and it was rewarding to hear customers say, 'That's amazing!' It was also the first step towards my dream."

  • "It was a very enjoyable five days."

  • "Using temi, I was able to go to a variety of different places."

Their words shone brightly with the learning and growth they had gained over the past five days, as well as their hopes for the future. Below you can read the letters we received from the students and teachers of the participating schools. Thank you all for your wonderful messages!

Why iPresence is focusing on "Try Week"

"Try-Week", which started in Hyogo Prefecture in 1998, was inspired by the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and aims to enrich the "education of the heart" by giving students a work experience. iPresence deeply sympathizes with this purpose and believes that contributing to the development of the next generation is an investment in the future.

That's why we designed the program not just to provide work experience, but with the perspective of "designing the future," with the goal of helping students realize the potential of technology and develop the ability to carve out the future with their own hands.2023In the event, participants had the chance to experience the metaverse space and work using robotics technology.

iPresence looks to the future

iPresence will continue to contribute to revitalizing the local community and nurturing the talent of the future through "Try It Week." By providing a learning environment that utilizes the latest technology, we will do our utmost to support students in expanding their possibilities for the future and helping them discover their dreams and hopes.