‘iPal’ robot companion for China’s lonely children

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SHANGHAI, June 14, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – It speaks two languages, gives math
lessons, tells jokes and interacts with children through the tablet screen in
its chest — China’s latest robot is the babysitter every parent needs.

The “iPal” was among a slew of new tech unveiled at the Consumer
Electronics Show Asia in Shanghai this week, offering education and company
for lonely children and peace of mind for adults.

The humanoid device stands as tall as a five-year-old, moves and dances
on wheels and its eyes keep track of its charges through facial recognition
technology.

Parents can also remotely talk to and monitor the children through the
iPal, which is linked to a smartphone app that allows them to see and hear
everything.

“The idea for this robot is to be a companion for children,” said Tingyu
Huang, co-founder of AvatarMind Robot Technology.

“When a child sees it, he or she will think of the robot as a friend, as
another child in the family.”

Their 9,000 yuan ($1,400) did not dampen interest from buyers watching a
performance of several iPals dancing in unison.

“They’re pretty cute. I was just thinking my own two-year-old daughter
would love one,” Mike Stone, a buyer from Australia said.

China’s young working parents often face the burden of taking care of
children or elders without help from a large extended family, as the impact
of the country’s decades-long one-child policy lingers. The limit was raised
to two children in 2016.

“I don’t think the robots can replace parents or teachers,” Huang said.
“But iPal can be a complementary tool to relieve some of their burden.”

China’s robot market is also catching onto needs from a growing
population of elderly “empty nesters” who prefer to grow old at home rather
than at a nursing home.

AvatarMind will soon launch another robot that can talk to seniors,
remind them to take their pills and call the hospital when they fall.

Beijing has invested money and manpower in developing AI as part of its
“Made in China 2025” plan.

A Chinese firm unveiled the country’s first human-like robot, which can
hold simple conversations and make facial expressions, during the Consumer
Electronics Show in Las Vegas last year.

The iPal is the latest humanoid robot to be marketed for family use,
following in the footsteps of the diminutive, wisecracking “Pepper” companion
released by Japan’s SoftBank in 2015.