AI and Robotics Today

zoron Artificial Intelligence, Robotics May 25, 2023January 20, 2024

Robotics and AI — “What do you mean, you have no heart?”

AI and robotics have made significant progress in recent years and are impacting numerous industries and aspects of our daily lives.

Automation and Efficiency:

AI and robotics have enabled automation in various fields, such as manufacturing, logistics, and customer service. Robots can perform repetitive tasks with precision and speed, leading to increased efficiency and productivity. This automation allows humans to focus on more complex and creative tasks.

Personal Assistants:

AI-powered virtual assistants, like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant, have become commonplace, providing us with instant access to information, reminders, and even controlling smart devices in our homes. They can perform tasks like setting alarms, making appointments, playing music, and providing answers to questions.

Healthcare:

AI is revolutionizing healthcare by assisting in diagnostics, personalized medicine, and drug discovery. AI algorithms can analyze medical images, detect diseases like cancer, and assist in treatment planning. Robotic surgery systems enable surgeons to perform complex procedures with enhanced precision and reduced invasiveness.

Transportation:

Self-driving cars and autonomous vehicles are becoming a reality, thanks to advancements in AI and robotics. These vehicles have the potential to reduce accidents, optimize traffic flow, and make transportation more efficient and accessible.

Customer Service:

Chatbots and virtual assistants are increasingly being used by companies to handle customer inquiries and provide support. AI-powered chatbots can understand natural language and provide quick and accurate responses, improving customer service experiences.

Smart Homes:

AI and robotics have facilitated the development of smart home systems that can control lighting, temperature, security, and entertainment devices. These systems learn from user preferences and can adapt to create personalized and energy-efficient environments.

Language Translation:

AI-powered language translation tools have made it easier to communicate across different languages. Real-time translation apps and devices allow for seamless conversations between people who speak different languages.

These are just a few examples of how AI and robotics are making our lives easier. They have the potential to bring significant advancements and improvements in various fields, enhancing efficiency, productivity, and convenience for individuals and society as a whole.

Robots serving in Retail

zoron Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Robots in Retail March 24, 2023March 24, 2023

Robots serving in retail shops are becoming increasingly common as retailers look for ways to streamline their operations and provide better customer service. With recent advances in AI, these robots are able to perform a variety of tasks, from restocking shelves to providing customer assistance.

One of the primary benefits of using robots in retail is their ability to automate repetitive tasks, freeing up human employees to focus on more complex or customer-facing activities. For example, robots can be used to restock shelves, clean floors, or take inventory, allowing employees to spend more time interacting with customers and providing personalized service.

Better Customer Experience

In addition to improving operational efficiency, robots can also provide a better customer experience. Some retailers are using robots to provide assistance to customers, answering questions and directing them to products. These robots can also be programmed to recognize when a customer needs help and proactively approach them, improving the overall level of service.

Recent advances in AI have made these robots even more capable. For example, natural language processing (NLP) allows robots to understand and respond to customer inquiries, while computer vision enables them to recognize and navigate through complex environments. Machine learning algorithms allow robots to learn from their experiences and improve their performance over time.

One example of a retail robot is the Tally robot, developed by Simbe Robotics. Tally is a mobile robot that scans store shelves to track inventory levels and ensure that products are correctly placed. Using computer vision and machine learning, Tally is able to identify products on shelves, track inventory levels, and even identify misplaced items. This allows retailers to quickly identify and restock empty shelves, improving the customer experience and reducing the amount of time employees need to spend on inventory management.

Another example is the Pepper robot, developed by SoftBank Robotics. Pepper is a humanoid robot that can provide customer assistance in retail environments. Using NLP and facial recognition, Pepper is able to recognize and respond to customers, providing information on products and directing them to the appropriate areas of the store. Pepper can also be used to collect customer feedback and provide personalized recommendations based on their shopping history.

Benefits of robots serving in retail

While robots in retail are still in their early stages, they have the potential to transform the industry by improving efficiency, reducing costs, and providing better service to customers. With recent advances in AI, these robots are becoming increasingly sophisticated and capable, and it is likely that we will see more and more of them in retail environments in the years to come.

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Artificial Intelligence on Cruise Ships of the Future

zoron Artificial Intelligence, New Robots, Robotics, Robots of the Future July 4, 2020November 11, 2021AI, cruise ships, robots

Emerging technology on cruise ships

When it comes to future technology in the travel industry, cruise lines have long been ahead of the game. Even before the global pandemic began in March 2020, cruise lines were looking at introducing emerging technology. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has acted as a catalyst to cause the industry to speed up the process and improve the passenger experience, especially in relation to health protocols.

At the Passenger Ship BoardingTerminal

One of the first aspects of the use of future technology in improving the health of cruise passengers will be the use of touchless system technology. This will apply to such things as signing bills and scanning passports. The aim will be to avoid any direct human interaction.

Both Google and Apple are already developing “track-and-trace” apps that can alert crew to whether someone has been near an infected person. Other systems will include purification and pathogen removal for the whole of the facility.

Onboard Changes on Cruise Ships

Passenger Ship embarkation will involve biometric identification and we are likely to see disinfection tunnels leading to the boarding terminal. Already most major cruise lines offer online check-in which means that you can get your boarding pass over the phone. Almost certainly, thermal imaging cameras will be placed at entry points.

Some Cruise Lines already have on-board artificial intelligence systems similar to Amazon Alexa.

MSC has an on-board voice-activated assistant named Zoe. In future, on-board health protocols will be set up to include the use of touchless technology. Phone apps will be downloaded to do such things as unlock the door as you approach, so guests won’t need to touch their cabin door handle.

Every cabin will be fitted with AI-powered voice-activated information speakers.

Passengers will use apps on their mobile phones to do many things. They will act as key-cards to open your cabin, to order and to pay for drinks, make bookings at restaurants, shows and the spa, and to book shore excursions. You will even be able to check your account, track your loved ones and control the lights and temperature in your cabin. This will avoid the use of shared touchscreens that cruise ships frequently use to sell tours and book activities.

Most cruise passengers are familiar with the daily newsletters and invitations that are slid under the door of the cabin. Such things, along with meal menus will become a thing of the past, to be replaced by digital emerging technology replacing all paper-based information and avoiding touching surfaces.

Physical queueing will be limited by the use of virtual queueing apps to limit how many people will stand together in a certain area at a given time. This will avoid overcrowding at lunch buffets, in the fitness centre or at the pool. Passengers will be able to order food and drinks and have them delivered to specified locations on board.

Robots on board Cruise Ships

Germ-zapping robots are already being used in hotels, restaurants and food processing facilities. These robots use broad-spectrum UV light to quickly decontaminate rooms and public spaces. Similar robots will be able to autonomously enter cabins and sanitise the room after housekeeping staff have left.

But what about the Personal Touch on Cruise Ships?

What cruise line operators are very conscious of is that one of the main reasons people take cruises is to enjoy the socialisation that is a major part of the experience and such innovations as physical distancing need to be carefully managed to preserve this important aspect of cruising.

One key feature of the cruise ships of the future will be the social distancing protocol, as personal interaction with shipboard staff is very important in creating memorable experiences on cruise ships.

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