The robotics industry is revolutionizing the world, and Alibaba A.I. Labs is attempting to raise the stakes in this industry. It is launching service robots for the hospitality sector starting in October.
Hotels have until now depended entirely on human labor. But the Labs' service robot - from delivering meals to taking laundry to guests - demonstrates what guests can expect at hotels in the future. Guests talk to the robot via voice command, touch and hand gesture, and its responses are driven by AliGenie, the software that powers Alibaba A.I. Labs’ smart speaker, Tmall Genie.
The technology that drives the Labs’ service robot involves combining aluminum casing with multi-sensor data functionality and parallel computing for quick responses. It also includes a semantic map, autonomous navigation system to identify obstacles, communication systems to control elevators, and identity verification via facialrecognition technology.
The robot’s height is less than one meter, while its walking speed reaches one meter per second. After a trial at a hotel, Alibaba A.I. Labs will assess its suitability for other areas, including hospitals, restaurants and office services.
According to the International Federation of Robotics, the global market for service robots are on the rise. The market is expected to grow from 20 per cent to 25 per cent from 2018 to 2020, while the sales forecast 2018-2020 indicates a cumulative volume of around 27 billion US dollars for the professional service segment.
Following the unveiling of the robot, Alibaba A.I. Labs also announced Tmall Genie Auto, the latest initiative in smart mobility and expanding the Tmall Genie ecosystem.
Apart from the robot, Alibaba is also partnering with auto and technology brands for providing AI related services and development assistance. It is partnering with Bosch for developing automated valet parking. Moreover, it is also shaking hands with Volvo for car-to-home AI services and Ford for pushing the internet into car electronic systems.
