Against a social backdrop of a shrinking workforce, the construction industry is facing an urgent task to improve productivity at construction sites and make the job more attractive to workers. To address these issues, I am developing construction robots and tools that will increase the efficiency of construction management work.

At the West Japan Engineering Depot where I work, we support construction sites through the deployment and planning of construction machinery such as cranes. Whenever I visit construction sites, I hear requests like "Are there robots that can handle finishing work?" or "Are there tools that can reduce the burden of construction management?" In response to these challenges, we introduce existing products or develop new technologies.

In 2020, I jointly developed "TawaRemo®," a remote operation system for tower cranes, together with Kajima Corporation and AKTIO Corporation. Tower crane operators typically need to climb ladders up to 50 meters high to reach the operator's cab, and once up there, they do no come down until evening. They often eat meals and use the bathroom in the cab, and due to these working conditions, very few women choose this profession. To reduce the physical burden on operators and improve their working environment, we began developing a system that allows tower cranes to be operated remotely from the ground.

First, we prioritized operator usability. We ensured that the operation would feel the same as conventional tower cranes and implemented measures to minimize the delay between the control interface and the actual movement of the tower crane.

Additionally, since TawaRemo allows multiple cockpits to be placed in the same location, one experienced operator can provide instruction to multiple young operators, helping transfer skills from veterans to newcomers, improving the abilities of young operators, and addressing the shortage of workers in the field. We also paid careful attention to the design to make children and future operators want to try operating it.

Operators who have used TawaRemo have shared feedback such as, "Since I don't need to climb ladders, I can continue working even as I get older" and "It feels almost the same as operating from the cab," which made me very happy. Currently, the use of TawaRemo is being considered in Asian countries like South Korea. In the near future, we might see a day when operators in Japan control tower cranes at overseas construction sites, or when operations are conducted from regions with completely opposite time zones.

TawaRemo is currently available not only to our company but also to member companies of the Construction RX Consortium, in which our company participates as a managing company. This consortium was established in 2021 with the aim of achieving high efficiency and labor reduction at construction sites, and promoting productivity and attractiveness improvement across the entire construction industry. Currently, 291 diverse companies (as of May 2025) are participating.

Until now, general contractors have developed technologies separately, which meant that skilled workers had to learn how to use different robots and tools each time they worked with a different prime contractor. To resolve this issue, we are promoting the mutual use of technologies, and TawaRemo is one of these.

In the working group I am in charge of, we are also promoting the adoption of other technologies such as the "Kentoun" and "Uplow" aerial work platforms that support ceiling work, the "Remote base" remote patrol robot, and the "Sakutto Barricade" crane entry restriction fence. Interaction with members from other companies is very stimulating and often sparks new ideas. I hope to expand the adoption of these technologies not only within Japan but also worldwide, enhancing our company's brand throughout the entire construction industry.

At the Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai work site, various initiatives were implemented for the future of the construction industry. One example is the "sumi-dashi" process, which involves marking the positions of walls and openings on the floor during construction. By using robots to automatically perform "sumi-dashi" based on digital floor plan data, labor efficiency was improved. Other examples are the "TO Gatherer" which automatically collects waste generated during work, and "Spot," a four-legged robot that autonomously patrols work sites taking photographs to help manage work progress and equipment.

Among these initiatives, drone utilization was particularly emphasized. Due to the vast size of the Expo venue, transporting construction materials took time. We conducted demonstration experiments transporting materials by drone from Nanko, about five kilometers away, and confirmed that materials could be delivered precisely where needed.

Believing that these initiatives will benefit the future of the construction industry, we are committed to listening attentively to the voices of site workers and trades people, and contributing to the construction industry.