The dream of a domestic robot that might make our lives easier still feels frustratingly far away. Though we are starting to see some impressively mobile, conversational robots, they aren’t anywhere near the consumer market yet.

Sanbot, from Chinese company Qihan, is a good example. This robot has 3D vision, numerous sensors for collision avoidance, seven microphones, touch sensors for interaction, and it can respond to voice commands. Sanbot can even dance, but sadly you won’t be buying one anytime soon.

Shenzhen-based Qihan is looking to roll out a new robotics-as-a-service model, selling the robots and support to various industries, including health care, education, and security. Sanbot is already in service in China, offering flight information to stressed travelers at the airport, patrolling warehouses as a security guard, providing a telepresence for doctors in patient’s homes, and acting as a fun friend and learning resource for kindergarteners.

You can hook up to the Sanbot via, fittingly, an Android app. There are all sorts of different modes, so you might want to view a live-stream of Sanbot’s cameras, command it to dance, or have it navigate to a specific location (as long as there are no stairs). The 20Ah battery is good for four hours of activity or up to 20 hours of standby and Sanbot can dock and charge itself when it needs to.

The voice recognition still needs work. Sanbot understands Chinese well, and Qihan partnered with companies like Baidu to achieve that, but it’s early days for English comprehension, though Sanbot VP Ryan Wu told us they are working with Google and Amazon to improve it. Sanbot also has a few touch sensors on its body, so you can squeeze its hand, or touch its chest, back, or head and get a relevant response.

4pda.ru