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Sanbot
SANBOT
Shenzhen based robotics and AI firm Qihan Technology Co. Ltd took it upon themselves to unearth the underlying potential of artificial intelligence and machine learning to the best of their capacities when they developed Sanbot, a multi-purpose robot assistant with a nearly exhaustive features list. So far, 3 generations of this service robot have come to the fray, those being the Elf, Nano (both 19 kg robots) and the larger Kong (4.8 feet tall and weighing in at ~100 kg). On the outside, these intelligent machines sport an ergonomic design with 720p laser projector with a maximum viewing size of 65 inches. A 10-inch HD touchscreen allowing video chat services and 12 free-moving wheels with 360-degree spot rotation that enable versatile movement. All these coupled with armatures that enable the robot to grip objects in various ways as well as mimic gestures and dance moves, gives us the image of a well-rounded robot. Now let us look a little deeper (Robotikworld, 2022).
We shall now skim over some of the robot’s salient features. Its 8MP and 1MP camera combination give it the ability to possess 3D Dynamic Perception, which grouped with the 60 sensors placed in a fashion aiding in 360-degree awareness and 10 obstacle infrared, visual and ultrasound detectors that allow multifaceted functionality and help in seamless movement minimising chances of collision with other objects (Robotikworld, 2022). The bot is almost always online as it manages to find the charging port when necessary. Voice input interaction aided by powerful speech recognition capabilities sourced from Nuance allows the Sanbot to respond to a multitude of commands and amplifies accessibility of various services such as home appliance management, fitness tracking and online shopping, case in point the Sanbot Nano with integrated Alexa. The microphone array technology allows it to localize the source of various sounds including familiar voices and commands. Advanced facial recognition allows the Sanbot to register the individual, family and regular visitors while also confronting strangers (Robopreneur, 2022). On the software front, these robots are built on the Robot Operating System (ROS) 1.1 open-source software framework, an open API platform that enables compatibility with android applications and real-time updates. With cloud-enabled services and MPS (multi-service platform system), dozens of Sanbots can be assigned a singular task or be remotely controlled. All these are coordinated and utilized by the very powerful AI system sourced from IBM Watson. It should be noted that the Nano and Elf have almost identical software construction.
Now focusing on the utility of these smart machines, we have witnessed Sanbot being used for home, retail, education, healthcare, hospitality, and security purposes. Elf has been used by customs and passenger service at the Shenzhen airport. Cloud services enable access to an expansive online repository of literature which when coupled with the robot’s self-learning and conveyance capabilities, make the robot an excellent aid in education services (Robopreneur, 2022). Its utilisation in healthcare and hospitality stem mainly from its versatile and seamless movement systems assisted by avoidance technology that make transportation safe and fast. The 3D camera, laser projector and HD touchscreen provide immersive entertainment. The Sanbot Kong can also be used for relatively demanding tasks such as towing about 165 pounds and moving at speeds faster than that of an average human walking. In conclusion, across all 3 generations over various platforms and inflowing updates, the Sanbot has carved a niche for itself in the promising consumer service intelligent robot segment.
