Japan has always been at the forefront when it comes to utilising technology for daily functioning.
Especially, in the pandemic period, the country is coming out with several new tech updates primarily robotics to ease everyday lives.
A case in point is the use of Smart Gates at airports for foreign nationals visiting Japan. The passengers using the facial recognition system need to have a passport with electronic chips, which are scanned by the dedicated devices at the gates to automatically match the photo in the travel document taken at the gate. The system then allows passengers to finish customs declaration procedures through an app on their smartphones.
Some of the airports have recently introduced personal mobility machines. These are designed to replace wheelchairs by transporting passengers who face difficulties in walking long distances or who have limited mobility to their designated boarding gates.
At Haneda Airport, they are introducing contactless systems to allow passengers to check-in and check their luggage without meeting an employee.
Another interesting tech innovation by Japan that has garnered global attention is transparent public toilets. The design focuses on two concerns which is cleanliness and the second being whether anyone is inside. These toilets with glass walls at first allow the public to see through from the outside but once the user enters and locks the door the wall turns opaque for privacy.
The trend of using robots is also widely increasing in the region. Robots are now being used in various sectors including aeronautics, medicine, disaster mitigation, and rescue.
