This Smart Robot Is Ready To Help China's Recovery From COVID-19

Robopony created by ZhenRobotics Corp (doc. ZhenRobotics Corp)

JAKARTA - China is starting to show signs of recovering from the coronavirus outbreak. Even so, not a few residents are still worried about the re-emergence of symptoms of the COVID-19 disease.

The government also still urges its citizens to continue to do social distancing and stay at home until they are fully recovered. To reduce people's worries, a Chinese technology company, ZhenRobotics Corp., launched a delivery robot that can be operated to deliver staple goods.

This company has a robot called RoboPony. This 68 cm tall robot with six wheels can reduce interaction between humans during social distancing.

Because the function of RoboPony is to sell food and other basic necessities, on a tour to a number of specified locations. ZhenRobotics Corp CEO Liu Zhiyong said the local government had told him to triple production of RoboPony amidst the rapid pace of COVID-19 in China.

"This epidemic is making people aware of human fragility. Robots can make up for this vulnerability and provide services that people can trust. Trust in robots has been dramatically increased," Liu said as quoted by Japan Today, Monday, March 23.

This RoboPony technology is controlled via a mobile application that can carry a weight of 40 kilograms (90 pounds) and travel up to 10 kph (6 mph). Even though it is quite efficient, ZhenRobotic is still reluctant to divulge the price of this multifunctional robot.

Not only serves to sell staples, RoboPony is also tasked with reminding buyers and indifferent people not to wear masks when outside the home. This robot can also be used in factories and consumer industries.

The company, which was founded in 2016, has carried out a number of developments and innovations at Zhongguancun University, China. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the Chinese government has started to look at the technology developed by ZhenRobotic to reduce interactions between humans.

Not only ZhenRobotics Corp, a number of other technology developers are also testing their robot manufacturing capabilities to help their citizens. One of the robots that has been successfully developed is a patrol robot that can remind visitors of the Shanghai Taikoo Hui shopping center to wear masks during the COVID-19 outbreak.