A service robot designed to cater the needs of the elderly has been introduced in China and is expected to hit the market by the end of the year at an affordable price, its developer revealed.

"It is small but complete in functions," said Zhou Fengyu, director of Shandong University's Cloud Intelligent Robotics Laboratory.

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Dubbed as Da Zhi or smart, the service robot could help elders detect gas leaks, intruders, and other dangers. Standing at 62 millimeters, Da Zhi is the product of three years of perseverance by Zhou and his team of 20 at the university.

The service bot is equipped with visual, auditory, and olfactory sensors; facial recognition technology; and a cloud computing platform where it can learn and share.  

It also boasts of the ability to detect and take a photo of a stranger, which would then be sent to its owner. The robot can also record videos or capture photos in case the owner meets an accident like falling. The recorded file will then be sent to an emergency contact.

"The various sensors installed on the robot enable it to measure temperature and humidity, detect gas if there's a leak, and avoid obstacle so that it can move smoothly around the house," Zhou said.

With six patents secured, the team is now working on giving Da Zhi the ability to perform diagnostic checks.

Meanwhile, the service robot will undergo field tests first before it is officially launched in the market. The price of the robot is 10,000 yuan ($1,496).

"People have high expectations for service robots, but there is still a lot of work to do to enrich their functions and service details," Zhou noted.

Tagsservice robot, Robot, Da Zhi, smart robot, elderly clients