Shaken or stirred? Robots serve drinks, help you with groceries
Robotics was one of the biggest crowd pullers at Gitex Technology Week 2017, as new technology is creating a vision of the future where many tasks are set to be automated.
Ranging from hospitality to medicine, experts have noted that new innovations have the power to improve our way of life, through the automation of certain tasks.
One of the biggest attractions was the Robo Shaker at the etisalat stand, which treated attendees to a special round of beverages that it had mixed up on the spot.
“It’s a bit slow, but definitely a lot of fun to watch,” said Humera Nadeem, a consultant who was visiting the exhibition. “If they improve how fast it makes drinks in later versions, then I can easily see this being used in hotels, airports, juice shops, or any other place that has lots of visitor footfall.”
Robo Shaker wasn’t the only robot at the stand with its share of admirers; several others were on display to highlight how far the technology has come since its inception.
From a humanoid robot called Sophia speaking to visitors, to a robot conducting surgery over 5G, robotics were one of the major highlights at the etisalat stand. Robo shopping assistants were also on hand to help consumers with their groceries at the retail division, while Einstein, an educational robot that is a genius in math and science talked with kids on a number of different topics. In healthcare, the 5G robotic surgery is a demo that highlights
If they improve how fast it makes drinks in later versions, then I can easily see this being used in places that have lots of visitor footfall Humera Nadeem, Consultant and Gitex visitor
mission critical use case for use of human skills remotely by using the power of the network.
One robot that has captured the imagination of residents in the UAE, is the Dubai Police’s Robocop. Visitors to their stand at the exhibition could interact with the autonomous robot, which will soon be a common sight across the city in the near future. Officials say that the robots will be positioned throughout Dubai, across malls and streets and will cater to both residents and tourists.
As one of the latest incorporations to the Dubai Police smart department, the robot will broadcast live video feeds and it will soon host a big, red button which people can push if they are in need of immediate help.
When patrolling the streets, the Robocop, which also harnesses the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and the latest smart technologies, can use its facial recognition software to help police officers identify and catch offenders.
— rohma@khaleejtimes.com