Bureau of Transportation, Tokyo Metropolitan Government
Keikyu Corporation
Yamaha Corporation

Field Test of a Multilingual Guidance App on Railways A First in the National Capital Region

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Transportation, Keikyu Corporation (Minato-ku, Tokyo), and Yamaha Corporation (Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka) will carry out field testing on Omotenashi Guide, a system developed by Yamaha Corporation that uses acoustic data transmission to send information to smartphones as text in multiple languages, as outlined below.
This trial is a first for railways in the National Capital Region. By providing foreign visitors with the information contained in announcements broadcast at select stations and onboard trains operated by Keikyu Corporation and the Bureau of Transportation (Toei Subway) in text format in multiple languages, the participants aim to realize seamless multilingual support from Haneda Airport to the center of Tokyo.

1. Outline

In select locations within railway stations and onboard trains, the contents of announcements broadcast and information shown on displays will be sent to smartphones using acoustic data transmission. The corresponding text will be displayed in multiple languages on smartphones and other devices that receive the transmission. Based on the results of this field test, the usefulness of Omotenashi Guide and other factors will be analyzed to better grasp user needs and improve the application’s functionality.
To obtain information being transmitted, users must download the Omotenashi Guide application from the App Store and activate the application. (Free to download.)

^*Applications for Android and Windows Phone are currently under development.

2. Test period

Thursday, May 19, 2016 – Friday, March 31, 2017

3. Location, schedule

^*With respect to automatic announcements broadcast inside the station, field testing is already underway at Yokosuka-chuo Station on the Keikyu Line.

4. Six languages

Japanese, English, Chinese (traditional and simplified), Korean, Thai, French

5. Examples of text displayed

Automatic announcement on a train: “We will soon be arriving at Haneda Airport International Terminal. Please get off here for international flights.”
Platform display: The next train is an Airport Limited Express bound for Haneda Airport.
Information signage: Exit A4 Kaminarimon, How to connect to Wi-Fi

6. How to use the application

Download the Omotenashi Guide application from the App Store. When you activate the application at locations where service is provided, information such as the contents of announcements broadcast from speakers and area information will be displayed in the language selected.

STEP 1

Download Omotenashi Guide from the App Store

^*Applications for Android and Windows Phone are currently under development.

STEP 2

STEP 3

Text will be displayed on the screen in the language your mobile phone is set to or the language that you select from the application menu.

＜About Omotenashi Guide＞

Omotenashi Guide English website: http://omotenashiguide.jp/en/( External link )

Omotenashi Guide is a system created to support the Universal Design of Sound concept using several technologies for which patents are pending.
Through the introduction of this system, we will be able to provide information in text format in multiple languages to smartphone users whose phones cannot connect to the internet. The system can also be introduced using existing speakers and public address systems. Since the information is displayed as text, it does not disturb others nearby who do not need interpretation.

"Omotenashi Guide," "Omotenashi App," and "Universal Design of Sound" are registered trademarks of Yamaha Corporation.