| Developers: | Promobot |
| Last Release Date: | November 2020 |
| Technology: | Robotics, Robots Service |
Content |
Main articles:
Promobot is an autonomous service robot.
2021
Announcement of human emotion recognition software
At the end of July 2021, Promobot announced the creation of software for recognizing human emotions. New algorithms are implemented in an autonomously service robot developed by the Perm company.
According to TAdviser in Promobot, the created software allows robots to recognize the emotions of a person, determine the tonality of his voice and, in accordance with the alleged state of the person, demonstrate the appropriate emotion, as well as build a dialogue in accordance with the state of the interlocutor.
According to the developers, in accordance with the emotional state of the interlocutor, the robot will choose a communicative strategy - to comfort, encourage or maintain a friendly conversation, and will also be able to respond in a more lively manner. This feature makes communication between a person and a robot more natural. If the interlocutor is sad, the robot will show a cheerful emotion, and if in an aggressive state, it will give out a neutral emotion. In total, more than 60 options for developing interaction are available.
According to Promobot Development Director Oleg Kivokurtsev, empathy, or empathy for the interlocutor is a very important process in human-machine interaction. The more empathetic the device, the better the interlocutor relates to it, which means the quality of service provided by the robot is higher.
 | Especially for the implementation of this functionality, our engineers developed a visual of six emotions and integrated the visual with recognition systems, "he said. |  |
The company adds that the communication skill is a key function for the Promobot robot. Emotional artificial intelligence makes communication between man and robot more natural. Since communication with the robot will become more interesting, then, as a result, the duration of interaction with it and engagement will increase.
Using a robot in a bank branch at Simferopol airport in Crimea
In September 2021, it became known about the launch in Russia of the first robot banker. We are talking about a joint project of the Russian National Commercial Bank (RNKB) and Promobot. More details here.
Start using robots in US malls
In early June 2021, it became known about the beginning of use robots Promobot in shopping centers in. USA First, Russian development appeared in the shopping mall Westfield Garden State Plaza in New Jersey. More. here
2020
Promobot released an artificial "ear" for the robot
On November 20, 2020, Promobot announced the creation of a microphone array, which the company calls the "ears" of the robot. The new system, consisting of eight microphones and a software algorithm, recognizes speech in noisy places, including in the airport, MFC and shopping centers. More details here.
Using an Online Dialog System
On November 12, 2020, Promobot announced the creation, according to the company, of the world's first dialogue system for robots, which works without an Internet connection.
Previously, robots communicated with people using a question-and-answer system. The new solution of the Russian company allows robots to freely recognize requests, cluster on a given topic and generate answers using neural networks. The dialog system is based on the finite state machine method.
From the point of view of linguistics, the system includes processing of natural language at the level of named entities, analysis of user intents (named entity together with action) and a wide range of covered topics, the developers note.
The creators of the dialog system used ten key topics, including, for example, "Transport" (How to get there? How do I buy a ticket? Where is it?) or "Building" (What address? How do I get a pass? In which office?). To improve accuracy, the dialogue is divided into five modules: from simple communication, which does not require binding to any goals, to comparing the facts required for decision making.
| | For the first time in the world, the depth of the topic in the dialog system is set in terms of four-dimensional space and includes parameters such as time, place, topic of conversation, as well as the context of denial or approval. That is, the robot, unlike voice assistants, always focuses on the time and place of conversation in the answer to the question - for service robots this is the most important task, since they provide a service at a particular location, say at the airport, and always have to "understand" in what context they are in, "explained the head of the development of the Promobot dialogue system, Ph.D. in computer linguistics (University of Tampere, Finland) Andrey Nosov. | |
Promobot is set to begin distributing the dialog system to existing Promobot robots in December 2020.[1]
2019
Create a robot to sell SIM cards
On December 19, 2019, Promobot announced the creation, as it claims, of Russia's first robot for selling SIM cards. They will be used for commercial purposes from the beginning of 2020.
As Oleg Kivokurtsev, co-founder and development director of Promobot, told TASS, the new robot received a card dispenser, a passport scanner and a payment terminal that are built into the chest area. To buy SIM cards, the user will have to contact the robot, he will ask to provide a passport for scanning and enter the obtained data in the database and on "Sim." After that, the person will need to pay for the purchase of a bank card and pick up a SIM card. The whole procedure takes several seconds, the company said.
It is noted that the android knows 10 languages, including Arabic, Turkish and Portuguese, so he will be able to sell Russian SIM cards to foreign citizens, including tourists.
Oleg Kivokurtsev says that new robots will definitely be used in Moscow and many large cities of the Russian Federation. They will be installed in business centers, train stations, airports, public spaces and other places of high crowds of people.[2]
| | The robot is the most reliable employee in the service industry. He is not late for work, he is never distracted, he is not sick, he does not go on vacation, he always has a great mood. We are going to exclude all the mistakes of the human factor from service, "said Oleg Kivokurtsev. | |
GoldenSIM CEO (Promobot partner in the project to create robots for selling SIM cards) Ravil Karasov emphasized that the new development combines two technological products: automated issuance of a SIM card and rapid registration through an application that was developed in GoldenSIM.
| | Such a robot promoter is both a reliable and interactive solution that has no analogues in Russia, "he added. | |
Creating a Robot Policeman
On October 22, Promobot presented a demo version of the Promobot V.4 robot policeman, whose analogues, according to the company, are not yet in Russia. He is able to recognize faces and speech, communicate with people, move autonomously, avoiding obstacles, and, at the request of the employee, scan fingerprints. More details here.
Mass production of human double robots
On September 30, 2019, Promobot announced that it had launched mass production of human double robots. An anthropomorphic machine moves its eyes, eyebrows, lips and supports conversation. According to manufacturers, the robot can integrate into business processes and have any appearance that the customer wishes. Costs a double from 1.2 million rubles. up to 3 million rubles.
According to the company, the robot is suitable for both commercial and personal applications. The machine can replace consultant employees in banks, mobile branches, hotels, stores, museums, insurance companies, airports, says Oleg Kivokurtsev, co-founder and development director of Promobot. For personal users, the manufacturer will release robot assistants to manage smart homes.
In the basic configuration, the machine can move the "muscles" of the face, neck, shoulders, answer a limited number of questions and recognize the interlocutors. The price of the robot consists of a computing unit for speech and image recognition, image customization, and also includes integration with third-party systems and services and a platform for moving the machine.
Production technology developed at Promobot. The company received a patent for the design of the robot. It allows you to reproduce more than 600 variants of human micromysics. Promobot does not disclose the costs of developing the model. By 2020, the company plans to invest in the direction of $2 million and enter the production of at least seven units per month.
Promobot has entered into three contracts for the supply of this model of robots. The customer will take one of the cars to the UAE. First of all, the company is focused on the production of robots for Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, the Middle East and North America.
| | As of September 2019, it is difficult to assess which companies have achieved great success in this direction and have large sales. Although the company's message says that these robots can be used a lot and are not so expensive, the use of people or simpler robotics solutions may be cheaper. Human-like robots are a rather ambiguous segment. Here the question is how much Promobot will be able to copy the human appearance, make the robot naturalistic and sell it with some advertising tasks. | |
As of September 2019, robotics is one of the main areas of the fourth technological revolution, included in all possible public and private strategies and programs, recalls Finam Group analyst Leonid Delitsyn. The market is very young and innovative companies have good chances to take a sufficient share in it either for independent work or to interest large corporations in the purchase plan, the specialist said.
The possibility of feedback makes the robot attractive not only as a professor, but also as a teacher at a school, a coach at a corporate institute, a coach in a section, a mentor for startups, Leonid Delitsyn believes.[3]
Tesla electric car knocked down Promobot robot in Las Vegas
At the January CES 2019 exhibition, an incident occurred: a Tesla Model S electric car crashed into an advertising robot of the Russian company Promobot. The accident occurred at the moment when the car was moving in autopilot mode.
According to the Daily Mail, citing the Las Vegas police, the collision of an electric car with a robot occurred due to the fault of the latter. Promobot v4 deviated from the route and went to the street parking. As a result of the accident, the robot received serious damage and cannot be restored. Promobot does not intend to claim compensation. The cost of the robot consultant Promobot v4 begins at 1.2 million rubles.
In the frames shot by the surveillance camera (the video was published on the Promobot YouTube channel), it can be seen that the car flew into a robot standing on the side of the road and hit it. Promobot v4 broke manual mechanisms and a mobile platform.
After the collision, the Russian robot capsized, and the car continued to move and stopped only about 50 meters from the scene of the accident.
At the wheel of the Model S was a driver who, according to him, decided to test unmanned mode on a deserted and quiet street. He apologized for hitting the robot.
| | I switched the car into unmanned mode, and he drove. And here wow! Robot on the track! I thought that the drone would go around the obstacle, but he did not try to make a maneuver or slow down and drove into it. I'm sorry, the robot was nice. I sincerely apologize to the engineers, "said George Caldera, who was in the car during[4] accident[5] | |
Promobot continued to participate in the CES 2019 exhibition, at which the company has six more robot consultants left.
This is not the first accident involving the Russian Promobot robot: in 2015 he was shot down in Perm, and the driver then disappeared. Then the robot was quickly repaired.
2017
Fourth Generation Robots Announcement
Promobot at the end of December 2017 announced the next generation of its eponymous robot - Promobot v.4. The presentation of the model will be held in Las Vegas in early January 2018.
The fourth generation Promobot received more stable mechanics and electronics, a plastic and carbon case, optimized software and a more aggressive design with the addition of black color. In addition, the robot has become more mobile - it has 7 degrees of freedom of hands, which is two positions higher than the previous model.
| | The capabilities and advanced features of Promobot v.4 will allow it to reach the next level of performing narrow cases, working in retail, the banking industry and visitor service centers. The robot also mastered the functionality of accepting payments, maintaining dialogue and finding answers to questions, "said Alexei Yuzhakov, chairman of the Promobot board of directors . | |
At the same time, the cost of the robot did not increase compared to Promobot v.3 due to the more affordable component base, the company emphasized. Now Promobot plans to establish mass production and enter new markets, including the American.
According to the developers, a pre-order has already been received for ten v.4 robots, some of which will go to the United States. Among the first customers are also companies from Singapore and several Russian customers. Deliveries will begin in February 2018.
Introduction of passport recognition technology
On October 13, 2017, Promobot announced the introduction of passport recognition technology in its robots. The robot learned to ask for a passport and can independently register a visitor[6].
The functionality is designed for robots introduced in financial organizations.
Recognition of the passport of the Russian Federation is based on Smart IDReader technology. It helps to determine the type of document in the image and extract all the necessary data, including a photo, in a few seconds. The solution is integrated by Promobot developers using the open Promobot SDK platform of the same name.
Promobot Robot Demo, (2017)
Meeting with the President of the Russian Federation
On September 8, 2017, Vladimir Putin paid a business visit to the Perm Territory to meet with IT companies in the region. The president visited the Morion technopark, where he was friendly met by Promobot v.3 with the words "Good day, Vladimir Vladimirovich! I am Promobot, the first standalone service robot for business. Glad to welcome you!"
Promobot developers showed the president three versions of the robot, talked about other domestic projects developing within Promobot - facial recognition technologies, speech, and also discussed the specifics of work as a portfolio company of IIDF and residents of Skolkovo.
| | Perm today is associated with the capital of robotics. We are trying to consolidate this status. Our Promobot is the first autonomous robot on the market with a character that is already capable of performing tasks of varying degrees of complexity - from entertainment to automation of business processes. The direction is very promising, programs for state support and the development of robotics are being developed around the world. We have potential, so we are very pleased with the attention from the government, "said Alexei Yuzhakov, chairman of the Promobot board of directors. | |
Participation in a running marathon
On September 3, 2017, the Promobot robot successfully coped with its distance at the Perm International Marathon. The electronic athlete drove three kilometers, focusing in a crowd of six thousand participants, thanks to his positioning systems in space.
Promobot v.3 was the first robot to participate in a running marathon along with people. The organizers accepted the application from him immediately. The robot was diligently preparing for the event: he tested the chassis engines at the stadium, competed with the athlete, and at one of the training sessions he even lost balance and fell. But at the marathon everything turned out.
| | We added equipment to the robot, developed special algorithms, systems with which it can move outdoors. The marathon has become an ideal platform for testing the capabilities of a robot. They are pleased with the result, "said Oleg Kivokurtsev, Promobot Development Director. | |
Promobot at the Perm Marathon. September 3, 2017.
Save the Child
In early July 2017, it became known about the rescue of the child by the Promobot v.3 robot. The incident occurred at Perm Polytechnic University during the award ceremony for graduates.
The robot was in the corridor with technical equipment, waiting for a speech at the event. At that moment, the girl ran into the room and decided to climb the rack. He began to fall, but Promobot managed to stop him. What happened was captured on a surveillance camera installed in the institution.
The robot began to move to the rack as soon as the girl got along it. Promobot, being nearby during the danger, put his hand forward and held the cabinet. Thanks to this, the child was not injured. Soon there were parents of the girl who came to the prom.
According to the director of development of Promobot Oleg Kivokurtsev, by the time the girl got into the field of view of the robot, he had activated the mirror mode, which allows him to repeat the movements of a person nearby.
| | That's what happened. The child began to move towards the rack, the robot moved in the same direction. The child began to raise his hands to climb onto the rack, the robot also began to raise his hands. We are glad that Promobot was there at this moment, otherwise the consequences could be deplorable for the child. It is in order to improve the lives of people that we create our robots, "said Kivokurtsev. | |
In June 2017, the Promobot v.3 robot became an employee of Sibpromstroy, which specializes in the construction of multi-storey residential buildings and complexes. The robot began to advise customers and show them real estate.
It is also worth noting that in Perm one of the Promobot robots managed to work for several years in the hypermarket of the Family food chain. The hypermarket bought two robots of the first version in 2013.
In addition, Promobot v.3 will replace ordinary diner workers in one of the Black Star restaurants - will show menus, accept payments, inform about promotions.
Serial production Promobot v.3.
On April 17, 2017, Promobot announced the release of serial samples of Promobot v.3 robots.
The company introduced the third version of the autonomous service robot in the fall of 2016. In this version, Promobot became more mobile, the communication technology was further developed - with several people at the same time, an independent selection of relevant answers to questions using neural network technology . Together with the robot, the company released the Promobot open platform, which will allow programmers to customize the robot to meet the needs of the business.
| | Our robots are not designed to create a wow effect. This is primarily a tool for improving the efficiency of business processes. For some activities, humans are no longer perfect, and robots are not yet perfect. In my opinion, we will bridge this gap in the coming years. After all, robots will become more powerful, and people are no longer. We believe that robots are the basis of the business of the future, which will be based primarily on ideas of super-efficiency. Alexey Yuzhakov, General Director of Promobot LLC | |
The third modification of Promobot has a number of differences:
- the robot learned to move the body more actively and gesticulate.
- a computing unit for processing large amounts of data has appeared.
- Promobot can work simultaneously with several people,
- the robot control console has moved to the smartphone application (it collects statistics and issues analytical reports on the results of communication between the robot and customers).
This generation of Promobot has received a more powerful battery, which allows the robot to charge faster and work more stably. The modifications include a control controller and an instant diagnostic system.
Equipment:
- display for monitoring the operation of units and determining their status,
- positioning system - allows to escort a person to the required place,
- terminal for paying and printing checks - the robot can accept payment from customers.
Updated linguistic base on neural network elements. The technology allows you to load arbitrary text into the database of the robot, according to which it will fluently navigate, select and quote individual blocks of text, adequate situations. This reduces the time to prepare and adapt the robot to a specific activity by up to 2-3 hours.
The product includes an open universal Promobot platform. Now a programmer in any country in the world can program the robot as he needs.
- Competitors: [[[[AlfaRobotics (Alfa-LED)|AlfaRobotics (Alfa-LED)]] - KIKI Mobile robot
Notes
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