KT Corp. will today begin its so-called “Ubiquitous Robotic Companions” services on a trial basis. The operator has been selected as a main service provider by the state-funded National Computerization Agency, which intends to promote the use of URCs. URCs are network-based, intelligent robots priced below 1 million won.
They are operated by simply adding voice-recognition servers and networks onto the existing robots, with the aim of providing necessary services anytime, anywhere.
The trial service will continue till the end of this year in 1,000 households and public facilities such as airports and Seoul Station. About 1,020 robots will be in operation during the trial period. “Seven different kinds of robots will offer various services ranging from reading books to speaking foreign languages, singing songs and home-monitoring via KT’s broadband services Megapass and Nespot,” said an official at KT.
Home-monitoring enables watching the elderly or babies from outside the home.
Robots will also offer daily news, weather information and recipes, as well as clean homes. Users will only have to attach recognition codes to necessary locations in homes to direct the robots.
(siyoungh@heraldm.com)
By Hwang Si-young
Link to Source
Gregor Wolbring and the WolbPack 