Development history

[ DEVELOPMENT ]

Technical innovations
over a half a century
accelerate lab automation

We have continued to develop robot technology over more than 50 years, beginning with our work at production sites in the automotive industry. There are currently more than 120,000 DENSO robots in operation all over the world, and they are well-known for their technical capabilities. Our experience over many years in the FA field has given us a wide range of knowledge and skills that can be applied in lab automation, allowing us to take a leading role in laboratory automation.

Precise experiments will allow researchers to
accurately conduct analysis.We want to help create
a world where researchers can raise their heads
and look forward.DENSO robots make lab work
more efficient, giving researchers the ability
to produce innovative results.

[ HISTORY ]

Our history of taking a leading role
and developing groundbreaking laboratory automation systems

We have taken the skills and experience gained through developing industrial robots since the 1960s, and have evolved them in order to meet the needs of research sites. Rather than simply creating highly precise robots, we tackle issues confronting today's researchers and continue to seek out what is truly needed in a system that is easy to use.
We will continue to maintain this spirit of inquiry and work closely with our customers in order to create the future of laboratory automation.

1967

Our first efforts in robot development

The first industrial robots were developed in the early 1960s, and since then we have kept a close eye on this revolutionary technology. We decided early on to incorporate this technology into our production processes.
1991

Gaining experience internally,
and releasing our first systems to market

We began selling our systems following a period in automotive part manufacturing sites.
2006

Using ORiN to control robots using a PC

Until this point, robots were generally controlled in dedicated environments setup by the manufacturer. We decided to focus on ORiN, which brings more flexibility and expandability to systems. This technology makes it possible to control various devices from application software installed on a PC. This allowed us to create environments for robots to be used by many other users even outside of the FA industry.
2007

Our first steps into laboratories

DENSO robots are now being used in laboratories with many devices controlled by PCs using ORiN. They are highly praised for their simple integration with peripheral devices and for how easily they can be combined with equipment and devices already being used. Many research laboratories began contacting us for information on automation, allowing us to take a foothold in the laboratory market.
2010

Compatible with LabVIEW libraries

We develop and release libraries compatible with National Instruments LabVIEW, the most popular graphical programming software used for controlling measuring devices. This allows our customers to control their robots in familiar environments.
2014

Releasing the VS-050S2
to market

We released an H₂O₂-resistant robot to meet the strict sanitation requirements of the pharmaceutical/medical industry. Automating sterile environments helps to reduce the risk of contamination and mistakes caused by human operators. It can also help workers to avoid the danger of coming into contact with toxic substances. The following year, we worked with NEDO on developing a cell culture automation system incorporating VS-050S2. It has significantly improved the safety and efficiency of research environments.
2018

Releasing COBOTTA collaborative robot
to market

COBOTTA, our compact collaborative robot, has made robot automation more accessible. It can be setup in narrow spaces and can handle work with no need to install specialized equipment. Automation can now be introduced even in environments where it would have previously been difficult to install a robot.
2019

Bringing COBOTTA to laboratory systems

We began receiving inquiries on automation from many research laboratories, due to the compact size of COBOTTA and how easy it is to control DENSO robots. COBOTTA continues to be used to automate work, including by chemical product manufacturers and even the DENSO Research & Development Division.
2024

Releasing packaged systems for laboratories to market

Amid growing automation needs in research laboratories, we began developing and selling standardized packaged systems to make setup even easier and faster.
DENSO robots are designed to be easily used by anyone, and help make research more efficient and laboratory automation more accessible.