Yamaha Corporation
For the first time in Japan, a multilingual “Mieru Announcement” that allows customers to transcribe station announcements into text on their smartphones without the need for a dedicated app has been introduced on a trial basis at a Tokyo Metro station.
~Furthermore, “Omotenashi Guide for Biz” has been introduced for audio announcements at all stations (*1)~
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Yamaha Corporation (Head Office: Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Representative Executive Officer and President: Takuya Nakata, hereinafter referred to as “Yamaha”) and Tokyo Metro Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Taito-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director and President: Akiyoshi Yamamura, hereinafter referred to as “Tokyo Metro”) In order to improve the provision of information to a variety of customers, including people with hearing impairments and the increasing number of foreign tourists visiting Japan, we are the first in Japan to display station announcements in text on your smartphone without the need for a dedicated app. We will be trialling the SoundUD (*2) multilingual announcement service “Mieru Announcement,” which provides guidance at Tokyo Metro stations. Furthermore, we will introduce “Omotenashi Guide for Biz” to audio announcements at all stations (*1).
[Image 1
[Image 2
Service overview
This service uses the tablet/smartphone app “Omotenashi Guide for Biz” that can be operated by station staff to broadcast multilingual announcements, and the customer can broadcast announcements in text by holding up their smartphone or reading a QR code. It consists of a trigger board that can be displayed.
[Image 3
Tokyo Metro has been creating an environment that all customers, including those with disabilities and foreigners, can use with peace of mind and comfort, but this time, all stations (*1) are now open for commercial use. We decided to install the “Omotenashi Guide for Biz” app on tablet devices and use it to make announcements in four languages (Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean) inside the station.
Furthermore, trigger boards that can display text on customers’ smartphones in conjunction with announcements from the “Omotenashi Guide for Biz” will be installed on a trial basis at 46 locations at seven stations. By holding your smartphone over the trigger board or reading the QR code, the content of the announcement using “Omotenashi Guide for Biz” broadcast at that station will be displayed in text, making it easy for people with hearing impairments and those visiting Japan to read the text. You will be able to visually convey
information to foreign travelers. This is the first time in Japan that we have introduced a service that allows customers to display text announcements on their smartphones without having to install a special app.
The introduction of “Omotenashi Guide for Biz” and the trial installation of the trigger board for “Mieru Announcement” are scheduled to begin on Wednesday, January 10, 2024.
●Stations where “Mieru Announcement” has been introduced on a trial basis: Ueno Station, Asakusa Station, Ginza Station, Shin-Otsuka Station, Ayase Station, Higashiikebukuro Station, Edogawabashi Station [Image 4
SoundUD multilingual announcement service usage image
Yamaha and Tokyo Metro will continue to support people’s enriched lives by providing safe and secure services.
*1 171 stations excluding stations whose management is outsourced to other companies (Hibiya Line Kitasenju Station, Nakameguro Station, Nakano Station, Nishi-Funabashi Station, Yoyogi-Uehara Station, Wako-shi Station, Hanzomon Line/Fukutoshin Line Shibuya Station, Meguro Station)
*2 A general term for technologies and services developed and advocated by Yamaha that realize universal design of sound. By connecting a space with sound, specific information or services, and users in that space, information can be transmitted smoothly. Yamaha Corporate Information Site/News Release
https://www.yamaha.com/ja/news_release/
*Product names, company names, etc. in this text are trademarks or registered trademarks of our company or each company.
QR code is a registered trademark of Denso Wave Co., Ltd.
*The information contained in this news release is current as of the date of announcement.
Please note that there may be changes after the announcement date.