Monday, October 2, 2023
manilastandard.net
ADVERTISEMENT
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
    • Young Life
  • Special Pages
    • Pets
    • Tech
      • Gadgets
      • Computers
      • Business
      • Tech Plus
    • On the Road
      • Sedan
      • SUV
      • Truck
      • Bike
      • Accessories
      • Motoring Plus
      • Commuter’s Corner
    • Home & Design
      • Residential
      • Commercial
      • Construction
      • Interior
    • Spotlight
    • Cravings
    • Environment & Sustainability
    • Agriculture
    • Pop.Life
      • Newsmakers
      • Hangouts
      • A-Pop
      • Post Its
      • Performances
      • Malls & Bazaars
      • Hobbies & Collections
    • Events
      • Seminars
      • Exhibits
      • Community
    • Biyahero
      • Travel Features
      • Travel Reels
      • Travel Logs
    • Gallery
      • Photos
      • Videos
  • Advertise with Us
No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
    • Young Life
  • Special Pages
    • Pets
    • Tech
      • Gadgets
      • Computers
      • Business
      • Tech Plus
    • On the Road
      • Sedan
      • SUV
      • Truck
      • Bike
      • Accessories
      • Motoring Plus
      • Commuter’s Corner
    • Home & Design
      • Residential
      • Commercial
      • Construction
      • Interior
    • Spotlight
    • Cravings
    • Environment & Sustainability
    • Agriculture
    • Pop.Life
      • Newsmakers
      • Hangouts
      • A-Pop
      • Post Its
      • Performances
      • Malls & Bazaars
      • Hobbies & Collections
    • Events
      • Seminars
      • Exhibits
      • Community
    • Biyahero
      • Travel Features
      • Travel Reels
      • Travel Logs
    • Gallery
      • Photos
      • Videos
  • Advertise with Us
No Result
View All Result
manilastandard.net
No Result
View All Result
Home Business Biz Plus

Pandemic’s robot ‘heroes’ tout their value at tech show

AFPbyAFP
January 12, 2021, 7:30 pm
in Biz Plus
Reading Time: 4 mins read
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Email

By Rob Lever With Julie Jammot in San Francisco

WASHINGTON—Robots that helped people survive and stay safe over the past year are touting their value at the tech industry’s annual extravaganza amid a pandemic which has given fresh momentum to the robotics sector.

The Consumer Electronics Show, which is being held online this year due to the global crisis, includes robots that have become “heroes” for many during the coronavirus pandemic.

Among those taking the virtual stage at CES are robot companions, concierges, cooks, delivery drones, medical assistants and those handling the perilous tasks of sanitizing workplaces and medical facilities.

RoboEatz
This December 15, 2020, handout image courtesy of RoboEatz, shows the robotics startup’s food serving robot, part of its its artificial intelligence-powered autonomous robotic kitchen system that prepares, cooks and serves an array of hot and cold food dishes from soups to salads to meal bowls. AFP

Robot companions saw surging demand in recent months as pandemic lockdowns intensified problems of isolation, especially for people in senior living homes.

Amid a strict virus lockdown in France, the companion robot Cutii became a star in senior facilities.

“The pandemic completely changed our business model,” said Antoine Bataille, chief executive of Cutii.

“We had envisioned Cutii at people’s homes. But today we are dealing with isolation on a collective level.”

The startup based in the northern French city Roubaix delivered 30 robots for free to senior facilities during the lockdowns and used the experience to improve the technology and train its teams.

“Everything worked well. Every two weeks we would deliver software updates, which had to be done remotely. It’s like what Tesla does.”

Cutii, which combines elements of a telepresence robot with a smart digital assistant, will be part of the show this year following its commercial launch in France and a marketing push in the United States.

Cutii’s head of US operations, Richard Marshall, said the crisis has shown people need more than a smart assistant such as Google or Amazon Alexa.

The French-made robot was designed to allow family members to check in, and also help people find activities such as yoga or tai chi classes, either in person or online.

“The point of Cutii is to connect individuals to other people,” Marshall said. It is not an Alexa on wheels.”

Wendy Moyle, a professor at Australia’s Griffith University who specializes in research on the elderly, said studies have shown people may develop “a strong relationship” to companion robots “much like older people do with having a pet dog for company.”

But Moyle said current  technology for most robots “is just not sophisticated enough” and that many people are disappointed after a while.

‘Friendly’ robots’

Robots have taken on a new role in the workplace and in medical facilities in the era of social distancing.

Misty Robotics, which produces a robot platform open to outside developers, last year launched its own temperature screening app for workplaces and medical facilities, while also working with partners which can make the robot a companion or digital assistant.

The pandemic has made it easier for people to view robots as non-threatening and as friends, said Misty Robotics chief executive Tim Enwall

“The elderly don’t have contact and the elderly are certainly very afraid of viruses that can come from contact and there’s loneliness and isolation,” Enwall told AFP.

In an office environment, robots like Misty can become a virtual “concierge” which eliminates the need for risky person-to-person contact, Enwall added.

“The robot at the front door can do that same basic triage in a way that’s very familiar to a lot of people,” he said.

“It’s friendly, it’s interactive it’s enjoyable.”

Meanwhile several exhibitors including South Korean giant LG will be showing a new line of disinfecting robots which have been in demand during the pandemic.

LG’s autonomous robot which uses ultraviolet light to disinfect high-touch, high-traffic areas is being launched this year to US hotels, schools, corporate offices, retail and restaurant operators and transportation hubs such as airports and train stations.

The companies are betting that demand for improved health and safety will continue even after the pandemic is contained.

In the kitchen

Automated kitchen technology has been gaining interest in recent years, and that has been accelerated by the pandemic, said Alex Barseghian, CEO of startup RoboEatz which began in Latvia and is now headquartered in Canada.

RoboEatz is launching its artificial intelligence-powered autonomous robotic kitchen system that prepares, cooks and serves an array of hot and cold food dishes from soups to salads to meal bowls. 

The robotic system, designed for food services operations in corporate offices, campuses and hospitals as well as quick-serve restaurants, takes over some of the tedious food prep tasks while improving food safety and eliminating infection risks from crowded kitchens.

Barseghian said the idea of robotic food prep, which can cut food waste and labor costs, has gained traction as a result of the pandemic

“For a lot of restaurants, efficiency is important,” he said. “Every millimeter in the kitchen is measured. They didn’t think about social distancing, so automating the kitchen really solves that problem.”

RoboEatz plans to launch its own restaurant in Latvia this month as it markets its “turnkey” kitchen in North America.

Even after the pandemic fades, Barseghian said he expects a continued focus on health and safety in kitchens: “I don’t think it will ever be the same again.”

Tags: Consumer Electronics ShowCutiipandemicrobots
ADVERTISEMENT
AFP

AFP

Related Posts

NDC agrees to help fund power market platform

byOthel V. Campos
October 1, 2023, 9:05 pm
0
8
Banaag assumes post as Bright Kindle director

The National Development Company (NDC) expects to sign the co-investment agreement for SolX Technologies, the country’s first power marketplace platform,...

Read more

Solar-powered vessel raises awareness on marine conservation

byManila Standard
September 30, 2023, 8:10 pm
0
8
P&A Foundation, accounting industry groups set the stage for the 25th SOASP

The Circular Explorer continues to make progress in its mission as an ambassador vessel for circular living and to support...

Read more

P&A Foundation, accounting industry groups set the stage for the 25th SOASP

byManila Standard
September 30, 2023, 8:00 pm
0
8
P&A Foundation, accounting industry groups set the stage for the 25th SOASP

P&A Foundation Inc., (P&A Foundation), the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA), and the Association of Certified Public Accountants...

Read more

SM Investments named one of Asia’s outstanding firms

byManila Standard
September 29, 2023, 9:20 pm
0
8
SMIC plans to raise P15 billion from the sale of fixed-rate bonds

SM Investments Corp., one of the leading conglomerates in the Philippines, was named one of Asia’s Outstanding Companies for ESG...

Read more

Bloombery plans to raise P5.6b from share offering

byJenniffer B. Austria
September 29, 2023, 9:15 pm
0
8
Bloombery plans to raise P5.6b from share offering

Bloomberry Resorts Corp., the operator of Solaire Resorts & Casino, is raising up to P5.6 billion from its share sale....

Read more

Producer price index grew faster in August—PSA

byJulito G. Rada
September 29, 2023, 8:55 pm
0
8
2022 trade deficit hit record $58.3b, imports surged 17%

The producer price index (PPI), which measures the average change over time in selling prices received by domestic producers of...

Read more

Print Edition

View More

Recent Posts

  • At least 13 dead in Spanish nightclub fire
  • UN mission arrives in Karabakh, first visit in 30 years
  • Ukraine says working with US after Congress drops aid
  • 850,000 Meralco customers lose power as 500-kilovolt line trips
  • Rice price cap seen lifted soon
  • Speaker says House, DSWD set to give out cash aid to 3m poor
  • Importation hurting local poultry industry, says DA
  • Protect us from Chinese ships, fishers ask Navy, PCG

Advertisement

Latest News

Speaker says House, DSWD set to give out cash aid to 3m poor

byRio N. Araja
October 2, 2023, 12:55 am
0
8
PBBM taps DSWD as Zero Hunger Task Force head

Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Sunday said the House of Representatives and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will...

Read more

Importation hurting local poultry industry, says DA

byOthel V. Campos
October 2, 2023, 12:50 am
0
8
Owner, driver of SUV in viral fight summoned

Importation in recent years has led to huge opportunity losses for the local poultry industry, as the Department of Agriculture...

Read more

Protect us from Chinese ships, fishers ask Navy, PCG

byManila Standard
October 2, 2023, 12:45 am
0
8
China coast guard chases Pinoy fisherman in disputed waters

Fishermen appealed to the government on Sunday to increase coast guard and naval patrols to protect them from the Chinese...

Read more

Over 1k nabbed for election gun ban; Cops monitor 38 private armed groups

byVince Lopez
October 2, 2023, 12:40 am
0
8
Comelec junks nuisance case vs. Marcos Jr.

Over a thousand people have been arrested for violating the gun ban imposed for the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan...

Read more

‘Jenny’ becomes typhoon, Signal No. 1 over Batanes

byRio N. Araja
October 2, 2023, 12:35 am
0
8
Owner, driver of SUV in viral fight summoned

Tropical Cyclone “Jenny” (international name: Koinu) has intensified and was expected to reach typhoon strength last night as Signal No....

Read more

Advertisement

ADVERTISEMENT
Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube

ABOUT US

Manila Standard

Manila Standard website (manilastandard.net), launched in August 2002, extends the newspaper’s reach beyond its traditional readers and makes its brand of Philippine news and opinion available to a much wider and geographically diverse readership here and overseas.

Digital Edition

In tone and content, the online edition mirrors the editorial thrust of the newspaper. While hewing to the traditional precepts of fairness and objectivity, MS believes the news of the day need not be staid, overly long or dry. Stories are succinct, readable and written in a lively style that has become a hallmark of the newspaper.

Download – Today’s Paper

Search

No Result
View All Result

6th Floor Universal Re Bldg., 106 Paseo De Roxas cor. Perea Street, Legaspi Village, 1226 Makati City Philippines

Trunklines: 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558

© 2021 Manila Standard - Designed and Developed by Neitiviti Studios.

No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
    • Young Life
  • Pets
  • Tech
    • Gadgets
    • Computers
    • Business
    • Tech Plus
  • ON THE ROAD
    • Sedan
    • SUV
    • Truck
    • Bike
    • Accessories
    • Motoring Plus
    • Commuter’s Corner
  • Home & Design
    • Residential
    • Commercial
    • Construction
    • Interior
  • Spotlight
  • Cravings
  • Environment & Sustainability
  • Agriculture
  • Pop.Life
    • Newsmakers
    • Hangouts
    • A-Pop
    • Post Its
    • Performances
    • Malls & Bazaars
    • Hobbies & Collections
  • Events
    • Seminars
    • Exhibits
    • Community
  • Biyahero
    • Travel Features
    • Travel Reels
    • Travel Logs
  • Gallery
    • Photos
    • Videos
  • Advertise with Us

© 2021 Manila Standard - Designed and Developed by Neitiviti Studios.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Install Manila Standard Web App

Install App