Kyoto robotics

About Kyoto robotics

Kyoto Robotics develops and sells intelligent robotic systems for factory automation and logistics. The company’s core technology is a 3D vision system that functions as the “eyes” and “brain” for industrial robots, enabling them to recognize objects with high accuracy and control their movements without needing pre-programmed instructions.

The company was founded in December 2000 by Gang Xu, a professor at Ritsumeikan University, originally as a university spin-off named 3D MEDiA. Xu, who came to Japan from China as a government-sponsored student, established the company to translate his academic research in 3D vision and robot control into commercial applications, aiming to solve labor shortages in manufacturing and logistics. The firm officially changed its name to Kyoto Robotics Corporation on January 1, 2018, to better reflect its focus on the robotics industry.

Kyoto Robotics offers solutions that integrate its 3D vision sensors, which use a projector and camera to create 3D point clouds, with AI-driven control software. This allows robots to perform complex tasks like bin picking, palletizing, and depalletizing mixed and randomly oriented items, which are difficult to automate with traditional systems. Its technology is masterless and does not require teaching, meaning it can adapt to various object shapes, sizes, and materials, including shiny or black surfaces, without prior registration. The company claims a 99.99% object recognition accuracy rate for certain applications.

The business serves clients primarily in the logistics and factory automation sectors in Japan, with notable customers including Toyota Motor and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Before its acquisition, the company had delivered over 400 robotic systems. Its business model revolves around providing total solutions, from developing and marketing its 3D vision sensors to deploying complete intelligent picking robot systems.

Over its history, Kyoto Robotics raised a total of $13.7 million in funding from investors such as Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, INCJ, and the Mirai Creation Fund. A significant milestone occurred on April 8, 2021, when Hitachi acquired approximately 96% of the company, making it a subsidiary. This acquisition was intended to integrate Kyoto Robotics' advanced automation technology with Hitachi's digital solutions platform, Lumada, to create comprehensive, one-stop automation solutions for its global clients. On April 1, 2023, Kyoto Robotics and Hitachi Automation were merged into Hitachi's Industrial Digital Business Unit to further strengthen its robotic systems integration business.