Important Innovations Collection

Here Comes the Robot with Your Coffee Accelerating Use of Robots in Hospitality Industry Labor shortages and rapidly rising costs are accelerating the use of robots in the hospitality industry.  It's an important megatrend in Hong Kong and Japan and a phenomenon that's sweeping worldwide.  A big and growing player is Hong Kong-based Rice Robots. It's cute, stocky cuboid robots serve as bellhops at Hong Kong hotels, deliver snacks to office workers in Japan and deliver coffee and drinks to customers at the Hong Kong Cyberport Innovation Hub. For customers of the Hub's Cafe, the drinks come stored in the cute, compact robot's head.  Customers use a pin sent to their cellphone to access their order.  In the age of Covid, the Rice robots are providing clean and efficient service without an extra layer of human contact, potentially spreading Covid.  That's a key reason that demand for robotic service is accelerating. New Armies of Service Robots There are g...

Robots That Are More Intelligent, Capable & Likeable                                            Source:  Amazon Amazon's Astro Over the next few years, we should expect a whole new, next-generation of more intelligent, congenial and capable robots for help in our houses and lives.  These new robotic assistants for humans are being developed in research labs, startups and at some of the biggest technology companies in the world including Samsung and Amazon. A great example of the Next-G of robots is Amazon's Astro. Astro For Your Home Astro was just introduced to the global market.  The $1,000 plus robot can move small objects on command from room to room to a designated recipient on the same floor, while simultaneously using its cameras to monitor as it moves around the house for any intruders. Multitasking robots are the future of domestic robo...

Franzi Cleans Hospital Floors, Talks, Sings & Cracks Jokes                                        Source: Dr. Rettler SERVICE A Robot Putting Smiles on Patients' Faces During the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, a new robot named Franziska, or Franzi for short, is spotlessly cleaning the hallway floors in a Munich, Germany hospital.  And importantly she is cheering up patients, staff and visitors along the way with her talking, singing and joke-telling.  Franzi can clean floors for ten hours on a single charge.  She receives her cleaning duty commands by smart phone.  The 3.3 feet tall robot has become quite the sensation while doing highly valuable service and keeping human workers out of harms way. Robotic Workforce in the Pandemic Franzi is an advanced member of the robotic workforce during the pandemic.  She is stationed at Neuperlach Hosp...

UBtech's Adibot Source:  UBtech Robot Can Be Rented For $15/day UBtech, the Chinese robotic company, has invented a robot that can rid a space - like a room, office or school - of COVID-19.  It's a large, cylindrical robot called Adibot that disinfects rooms with UVC light.  The company says it provides hospital grade sanitizing in less than a minute and a half.  Adibot comes in a stationary form that can be wheeled into a room.  And there is an autonomous model that pilots itself using lidar.  It neutralizes pathogens and in particular COVID-19 with UVC light.  The light dosage can be adjusted for different diseases.  What is very remarkable is that the robot can be rented for $15/day. Robot on COVID Duty UBtech claims Adibot can give a 1000 sq. foot space a complete cleansing of COVID and other pathogens in a minute to a minute and a half.  The robot issues vocal warnings to people to stay out of the room while it is cleaning.  UVC lig...

Spot Spotted on the High Seas Aboard an Oil Rig Source:  Boston Dynamics Spot RoboDog Multipurpose Robot Dog I've been following Boston Dynamics' Spot RoboDog for some time.  Here's an update on this incredible quadruped, multi-tasking robot dog.  Spot has been on duty in Asia doing polite, social distancing patrols on the streets of Singapore to advise and encourage people to keep their distances and prevent the spread of COVID-19 among residents during 2020.  Spot is serving as a service assistance robot in US offices and homes.  He's now on duty as a patrol robot on UK construction sites.  And, now Spot has gone on the high-seas, aboard a British Petroleum oil rig more than 190 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico to do off-shore robotic duty.  Spot seems to be the world's greatest utility robot. Spot on Oil Rig Duty Onboard the BP oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, Spot is being programmed to monitor gauges, sniff out dangerous smells of methane and check f...

Boston Dynamics Puts Spot on the Market Source:  Boston Dynamics You Can Buy It for $75,000 Boston Dynamics claims that their robot dog Spot is the most advanced mobile robot in the world.  Their internet-famous Spot is now available for sale.  Boston Dynamics has been developing Spot for years.  Until now, only "select" clients could lease it. The price-tag to buy Spot is $74,500.  The robot is designed for inspections, sensing and remote operations.  Its big market opportunities are public safety, healthcare, construction and industrial uses. Top Pedigree Spot is a highly advanced and sophisticated robot.  It's been used in Singapore to encourage social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.  During a trial run, it created 3D maps of construction sites.  It can dance, open and hold doors.  Boston Dynamics says it can navigate autonomously, handles rough terrain and avoid obstacles. Top Dog Thus far, the primary custome...