Following the public debut of the “NAMO” receptionist robot, developed by the Field Robotics Institute to commemorate King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi’s 50th anniversary, the institute received numerous requests for NAMO to participate in various public and private sector events. This highlighted to the research team a significant demand for public relations robots. However, the initial NAMO prototype had several limitations for continuous real-world operation. Recognizing this, further development was deemed essential to enhance the robot’s capabilities and durability for practical use.

The institute continuously gathered data, conducted research, and developed the technology, supported by funding from the “Project for Supporting Research Extension to Practice and Further Development of Research and Inventions” by the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT). Real-world experience with NAMO provided valuable insights into the prototype’s problems and weaknesses. This led to further research and modifications, culminating in the development of the second-generation receptionist robot, “OHM.”

OHM is designed as NAMO’s younger brother, embodying a strong, agile, adventurous, and inquisitive personality. OHM can record its discoveries via a video camera mounted on its head and share its experiences through a projector located on its chest, capable of displaying images onto a screen.