Friday, 25 April 2025
29.6 C
Singapore
33.4 C
Thailand
26.4 C
Indonesia
28.7 C
Philippines

COVID-19: Robots play a role in the fight for COVID-19 pandemic in China

Making friends and catching up with the ones you already have has become quite challenging due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is even worse when for the elderly. That’s why Chui Dip-sai has been so happy and grateful for Temi, a service robot developed in Israel that has been a constant companion in nursing homes […]

Making friends and catching up with the ones you already have has become quite challenging due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is even worse when for the elderly. That’s why Chui Dip-sai has been so happy and grateful for Temi, a service robot developed in Israel that has been a constant companion in nursing homes in Hong Kong.

The robot is quite easy to use, Chui told the Nikkei Asian Review. “I always talk to Temi, and don’t feel bored anymore,” he further stated.

Temi has a tablet-like screen plus a voice control powered by Google; it keeps Chui entertained with videos, music, and other diversions. It also has built-in cameras and infrared sensors that enable Chui to perform tasks such as delivering meals, disinfecting surfaces, and patrolling corridors.

 Across the country, more businesses and individuals are turning to service robots to help them through the pandemic, which so far has infected over 81,000 people in China and caused more than 3200 deaths.

Looking forward, after the rule of social distancing is eventually erased, the new love for servant robots could give developers a boost.

China’s service robot market was worth approximately US$2.2 billion in 2019, less than half that of industrial robots. Lagging product design and high price tags are the major reasons for the slow take-up rates. However, as the fear of coronavirus increases, many businesses seem to be considering service robots.

After a Chinese courier was diagnosed with COVID-19, Meituan Dianping, a Chinese food delivery company, took advantage of relaxed rules on the use of autonomous vehicles, and they are using them to deliver groceries to consumers. Domestic e-commerce platforms such as Alibaba Group Holding and JD.com have as well beefed up their driverless logistics services.

Robots are being used in most Chinese hospitals to collect saliva samples as well as deliver medicine to patients. They are being used even in remote areas such as Xinjiang.

In mid-2019, Tung Hing Automation, the distributors of Temi, had one order after every few days, but since the outbreak, they sell three to five robots every day. Roy Lim, the president of Ting Hing Automation, however, stated that they make enough robots to satisfy the demand.

Lim is confident that the demand for Temi robots will outlive the pandemic since most people will unlikely get back to doing everything manually again. He is also optimistic that the market will expand in other parts of Asia and Europe.

Other service robot developers, such as Yunji Technology backed by Tencent Holdings, have also noted the change in consumer’s attitude towards the robots.

Hot this week

Anbernic stops US shipments amid rising tariff concerns

Anbernic halts US shipments due to rising tariffs, urging customers to order from its US warehouse to avoid high import duties.

Why OpenAI chose Windsurf after Cursor said no to being bought

OpenAI considered buying Cursor but moved on to Windsurf with a US$3B offer after Cursor’s parent company, Anysphere, chose to stay independent.

OpenAI looked at Cursor before moving to buy Windsurf for US$3B

OpenAI tried to buy Cursor creator Anysphere before turning to Windsurf for US$3B, showing its urgency to lead AI code generation.

ChatGPT joins forces with The Washington Post in new content partnership

OpenAI partners with The Washington Post to bring trusted news summaries to ChatGPT, offering better access to reliable information.

Tenable uncovers critical privilege escalation flaw in Google Cloud Composer

Tenable exposes a GCP vulnerability in Cloud Composer that allows privilege escalation through interdependent cloud services.

WhatsApp adds new Advanced Chat Privacy feature to boost group chat security

WhatsApp's new Advanced Chat Privacy feature helps stop group chat content from being shared or saved outside the app.

Global PC shipments rise 6.7% in early 2025 as AI and tariffs drive demand

PC shipments rose 6.7% in Q1 2025, boosted by AI demand and tariff concerns, but growth is expected to slow later in the year.

GITEX to launch in Vietnam, unlocking growth in Southeast Asia’s digital economy

GITEX announces debut in Vietnam for October 2026, spotlighting its growing tech economy and boosting Southeast Asia’s digital innovation.

GumGum reports digital ads up to 90% more carbon efficient than industry average

GumGum cuts digital ad emissions by up to 90% versus industry norms, using global sustainability standards and Cedara’s carbon reporting tools.

Related Articles

Popular Categories