During a recent visit to Zhongguancun International Innovation Building in Beijing, this writer witnessed how robots developed by Beijing-based service-robot start-up Yunji Technology can replace humans in performing certain tasks.
“Run”, an intelligent commercial service robot, was developed in 2016 to deliver goods to the room of hotel customers, show them the way and provide publicity information. Not surprisingly, it is dubbed the “hotel” robot.
Here’s how it works.
The robot for large-screen display features self-mapping, obstacle avoidance while moving, intelligent explanation, guidance, voice dialogue, face recognition, patrol exhibition, etc.
According to the company website, Sail effectively guides guests, expands service scope, improves service efficiency, reduces labour costs, offers users with intelligent services such as guest channelling, brand promotion, product exposure, as well as improved product and service experience.
Established in 2014, Yunji has multiple patents for artificial intelligence in China.
The company is focused on providing intelligent services robot products and services.
At the 6th China (Shanghai) International Technology Fair held in April, Yunji Technology demonstrated how its robot can be widely used to show guests the way to their hotel rooms, deliver infusion bags in the hospital and send documents to different offices in a building.
Zhi Tao, co-founder and CEO of Yunji Technology, was quoted by China Daily as saying that such service robots would eventually become commonplace in households as technology advances and the supply chain matures.
He said eventually such robots could be rented by families for a fee that would be cheaper than hiring a domestic helper.
“In the future, we would like to see such robots become employees rather than being simply a commodity,” he said.