One of the world’s largest tech events, the global Mobile Internet Conference, is wrapping up Monday in Beijing. Thousands of tech freaks and geeks descended upon the Chinese capital to check out the latest advances. It was also an opportunity to meet and greet the coolest and most advanced robots, and even speak to them in Mandarin Chinese.
Humanoid robot 'Sophia' speaks Chinese
Humanoid robot 'Sophia' speaks Chinese
Monday is the final day of this year's Global Mobile Internet Conference in Beijing. “Mobile Infinity” was the name of the game, and human-like robots were stealing the show. Hanson Robotics, led by Dr. David Hanson, brought its newest robot “Sophia” to life. Her skin is made from silicon, and she can show more than 62 facial expressions. She can speak English and even Mandarin Chinese.
Cameras inside her eyes, combined with computer algorithms, enable her to see, follow faces, make eye contact and recognize individuals. A combination of Alphabet’s Google Chrome voice recognition system and other technologies enable Sophia to process speech, chat and get smarter over time.
The Chinese government issued a new guideline in April, aiming to triple the annual production of industrial robots to 100,000 by 2020, compared with fewer than 33,000 in 2015. 3D Robotics based in Berkley, California, meanwhile, spots opportunity in smart drones, advanced aerial cinema & UAV technology. It recently developed Solo, the world’s first GoPro-optimized smart drone.
The rise of the robots has triggered fears that super intelligent robots could steal real people’s jobs in the future. But in the early 1800s, machinery reduced the need for human labor, and the world was not left without work.
