At Seibu Railway’s Ikebukuro substation, a small robot makes inspection rounds at 7am, 1pm and 7pm. It stays on site between rounds. That permanence is central to a trial intended to reduce the time engineers spend travelling.[2]
The Japanese operator and robot maker ugo scheduled the experiment from 1 October through 31 March 2027. It tests remote inspection, the use of accumulated sensor records and how work should be divided between people and machines.[1]
ugo mini carries a telescopic, tilting 4K camera and 3D lidar for autonomous movement. AI reads meters. The arrangement brings a camera to existing equipment and turns observations into records, allowing staff to check conditions remotely.[1]
Response’s report from the demonstration describes the previous routine: staff visited substations about twice a month. One distant site requires roughly an hour’s travel each way. The robot’s frequent rounds add a different observation schedule while the pilot establishes the appropriate division of duties.[2]
Seibu will also compare mobile inspection with installing fixed sensors, the report says. The experiment will help establish where a resident robot earns its place.[2]
Sources & further reading
- Seibu substation inspection pilot ugo · 28 Sep 2026 · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Seibu’s resident inspection robot Robosta / Response · 15 Oct 2026 · Accessed 29 Oct 2026