Chinese firm launches robot to serve the elderly

SHENYANG - Siasun Robot and Automation Co Ltd, China's leading robot manufacturer, on Friday launched a new service robot designed especially to serve the elderly.

Less than one meter tall, the robot can roam around a house and send images of its elderly users for remote monitoring. It is voice-controlled and can automatically avoid barriers and recharge itself.

Siasun, based in Shenyang, capital of Northeast China's Liaoning province, launched the new robot at the China International Old-Age Service Industry Expo, held in the city on Friday.

Dong Zhuang, a senior manager of the company, said it is Siasun's first service robot developed with cloud-computing technology, which gives it the ability to learn quickly. It can help users with health checks and chronic disease home care.

Dong said Siasun has cooperated with the Shenyang Deveau Home Care Center to develop the service robot in order to serve the elderly's needs for home care. The robot can facilitate communication between elderly people and their children through its remote-monitoring function.

Zuo Hongci, director of the Shenyang Association of Old-Age Service Industry, said seniors over 60 account for 23 percent of the city's total population. There is a big market shortfall of workers to care for the elderly. Intelligent service robots may play a big role in filling the need in the future.

Shenzhen-listed Siasun plans for its annual output to reach 10,000 industrial robots and intelligent manufacturing equipment units, and 2,000 service robots this year. The company boasts a development team of more than 2,000 people.