In a remarkable scene in the crowded streets of Shanghai, a “police robot” that resembles humans appeared on Wednesday evening in the vital “Huangu” neighborhood, wearing a remarkable and bright police uniform, to direct traffic and pedestrians in a crowded intersection.
Traditional audio instructions
The robot called “Xiao Hu” (meaning “small tiger”) use traditional hand signals and sound directions such as: “red light, please stop”, to guide passers -by. His movements and words were inspired by the traditional practices of Chinese traffic men.
Helping passers -by and providing information
The role of “Xiao Ho” was not limited to the Traffic Department, but also included providing infantry guidelines and answering simple inquiries related to traffic laws, which sparked the curiosity of passers -by and led to the gathering of many to watch him while performing his duties.
A realistic experience within an experimental stage
The Shanghai Traffic Department confirmed that this experience comes within a realistic exercise to evaluate the robot in real scenarios. She explained that the project is still in an experimental stage after the development of four years, without announcing an appointment to publish it on a large scale.
The future of robots in the smart city
Officials believe that “Xiao Ho” embodies a new technical orientation in the traffic management, as part of China’s efforts to enhance the use of artificial intelligence and smart technologies in cities infrastructure, with the possibility of a future robot use in major events and high traffic areas.
