Robots steer towards tomorrow’s world

Shanghai was the setting earlier this month for a global event showcasing the use of artificial intelligence for a wide variety of commercial purposes.

Ranging from general-purpose chips to financial technology, and from smart healthcare to wearable devices, the benefits of AI were highlighted at the Fifth World Artificial Intelligence Conference, or WAIC, which took place from Sept 1 to 3.

In particular, a group of intelligent robots equipped with AI technologies attracted widespread attention.

Experts said the goal for AI research and development is to improve human livelihoods.

Isabel Ge Mahe, Apple’s vice-president and managing director for China, said, “We are full of hope for the future of machine learning, as we strongly believe it can inspire more innovation, therefore improving people’s lives.”

CloudMinds Robotics Co, which is based in Shanghai, has launched Cloud Ginger 2.0, a new smart service robot that can perform a variety of functions, including reception work, tour guidance, elderly care, cleaning, as well as education and scientific research.

Shaped like a human, and equipped with nimble hands, the robot has 41 intelligent flexible executors and sensors. It can listen, speak, see and move based on multiple cloud intelligent technologies.

Bill Huang, the company’s founder and CEO, said, “Reports show there will be about 310 million people who are 60 or older in China by 2035－offering promising market demand for service robots.”

Xiaozi, the company’s humanoid robot, is scheduled to make its debut by 2025, Huang said, adding, “By that year, Xiaozi will be able to stand on her own two feet to serve Chinese families in day-today life.”

Adopting its name from an ancient Chinese legend about seven fairies, Xiaozi will be equipped with more than 60 intelligent flexible executors, enabling it to walk on two legs, and to move just like humans. It will also assist seniors to navigate flights of stairs.                                                                                                                 

Surgical robot

Liu Yu, executive vice-president and chief commercial officer at Shanghai MicroPort MedBot (Group) Co, said in a speech at WAIC: “Medical service is probably one of the things that people care about the most, because health is most important. To meet such requirements, we provide solutions that cover operations from head to toe.”

The company’s robots, which include those for vascular intervention, orthopedic operations and laparoscopic procedures, can conduct minimally invasive surgeries.

The laparoscopic surgery robot, which stood out among more than 800 projects, was one of the five winners of this year’s Super AI Leader Award for its special contribution to AI.

Combining the technologies for 5G, augmented reality, intelligent surgery comprehension, and automotive surgical platforms, the robot conducts surgery by using X-ray vision and a brain like that of a human.

“Now, with the help of a robot, doctors can perform laparoscopic operations in shielded rooms by using a computer mouse. Such advances have greatly reduced the difficulties of performing such surgery,” Liu said.

Since December, nearly 300 clinical surgeries, all of them highly complicated, have been conducted by the laparoscopic robot.

Liu said: “The outlook for robotic surgery is extremely promising, and we are going to develop more such robots and reduce the cost of surgery performed by them. Our fundamental goal is to make all surgeries easy to conduct.”

Meanwhile, Shanghai Xiaojia Data Technology Co launched iSward, its intelligent mowing robot, at this year’s WAIC.

Chen Xiao, the company’s CEO, said: “There are about 250 million private lawns and gardens globally, of which some 80 million are in member states of the European Union, and 100 million are in the United States, creating a market of between $60 billion and $70 billion globally.

“In contrast, the market for autonomous mowing robots is merely $1 billion. As technologies are continually upgraded and labor costs rise, this market could exceed $10 billion in coming years.”