The robot gently closed a claw "hand" around the phone, lifted it above eye level, and took a selfie as its digital eyes briefly changed into hearts. This is Aeo, the newest robot from Aeolus Robotics, which was just on display at CES 2023, the biggest consumer technology show in the world.
Aeolus' goal is to create robots that will enhance quality of life and advance the positive impact robots already have on society.
With features like the capacity to deliver food and medication to elderly people, the Aeo was created to be a helper. With its nimble mechanical robotic arms, it can lift an 8-pound cooler with ease and hold a phone without dropping or breaking it.
Aeo uses numerous cameras and IR sensors on its base for its autonomous navigation. It can navigate a room, open doors and ride elevators with its nimble right arm, all while using its left UV light to clean surfaces (an important tool for places like schools and hospitals). It can be used for security, food delivery, and patrolling. If needed, the robot can be manually operated remotely, although the company claims that few situations require that level of control.
The Aeo robot, which is meant to take some of the work off of real people and enhance the quality of life for those in care, has been lending a hand at eldercare homes in Japan since its debut at CES 2018. This service could be essential to Japan, which has by far the highest senior population ratio in the world, with 29.1% of the population over 65 years old.
Of course, it isn't just old folks' homes that are in need of a helping hand. The global labor shortage is leaving several industries short on staff.
Security Robots Market Could Quadruple by 2030
Because of the severe labor scarcity in the security sector, relying on machines and robots is becoming more attractive. As a result, the market for security robots is expected to increase by almost 400% by 2030.
Around the world, security robots are being used in parking lots, malls, campuses, or schools and rising global demand for security robots and rising adoption of advanced automation techniques is expected in the market.
Among the companies involved in the space is Knightscope, Inc. (NASDAQ:KSCP), a leading Silicon Valley developer of Autonomous Security Robots (ASRs) that deter, detect, and report using revolutionary technology that has been shown to help fight crime.
Since its founding in 2013, Knightscope has developed its own proprietary tech and put it to use in the field for more than 1.8 million hours. To do this, the company drew on four cutting-edge technologies: autonomous self-driving capabilities, robotics, artificial intelligence, and electric vehicles. The company went public on the NASDAQ in January 2022 after raising over $120 million in funding and drawing more than 35,000 investors.
Knightscope has continued to broaden its customer base with a string of new contracts. Some of Knightscope's new clients are a global company that makes and sells medical and laboratory supplies, two hotels, a sports complex in New York, a multi-family housing complex in Pennsylvania, and the University of New Jersey, which has a 41-machine contract with Knightscope.
The public safety innovator is kicking off the New Year with four new contracts for a total of eight new machines, including three K5 Autonomous Security Robots (ASRs) and five K1 Blue Light Towers.
Knightscope's new clients include one of the largest security companies in the United States, an American entertainment company that runs entertainment, sports content, and casino gaming businesses all under one roof, a real estate developer in Chicago, Kansas City, and St. Louis, and a teaching hospital in New York that has been open for almost 100 years.
Knightscope's roster of clientele now includes the government, public institutions and commercial businesses including Fortune 1000 companies, entertainment venues, hospitals, school campuses, storage facilities, logistics, manufacturing plants and more.