 |
| CLOi |
Robotics is one area of technological
innovation where the science seems to lag far behind the imagination in science
fiction that many of us are used to in movies and TV shows.
Many people are surprised to find
that most real-life robots are still awkward, bulky, clunky and consuming more
space than is convenient to accomplish the tasks inventors had in mind.
However, 2018 has marked a
significant shift in the innovation of robots as leading technology companies
showcase some of the most intuitive and even “cute” robots ever made.
LG Electronics gave attendees of this
year’s CES the rare opportunity to imagine a world in which “work robots” increased
efficiency in the srvice industry.
The three concept robots envisioned
by LG --the Serving Robot, the Porter Robot and the Shopping Cart Robot –
promise to bring an entirely new dimension to the role of robots in a
post-industrial economy.
Moses Marji, LG’s head of marketing
in East Africa, says the expanded robot portfolio will “deliver real convenience
and innovation in the lives of customers.”
He added: “Take for instance, the Shopping
Cart Robot. Customers can scan items using a barcode reader on the robot to
view product prices and see their complete shopping list on the face display.
The robot can also guide shoppers to the products they select on a smartphone
app.”
The work robots, all part of LG’s new
CLOi (pronounced KLOH-ee) robot brand, follow in the footsteps of the Airport
Guide Robot and the Airport Cleaning Robot that recently completed successful
trial runs at Korea’s Incheon International Airport.
In one way, robot technology is as
old as the automated machinery that rendere many workers jobless in the tail
end of the industrial revolution.
The 21st Century has seen
an exponential advancement in innovation in robotics, with newer inventions
finding practical uses in various sectors of the economy and home use. Little
wonder that robots today are connected to the cloud and can be controlled by
mobile device from the convenience of one’s couch or bed.
Today’s robots are also able to
accomplish functionalities that were once thought impossible, such as seeing
(object identification camera technology), hearing (voice recognition and voice
control) and reacting (motion sensors) to the environment.
The inevitable consequence of the
increased focus on design is the churning out of user-friendly robots that can
finally be entrusted to the hands of normal users rather than the traditional
technical operators.
Clearly, 2018 is bound to be a year
when more users can finally think of having a robot that can actually fit into
the messy and uncontrolled, non-lab environment that characterises much of
everyday life.
No comments:
Post a Comment