AI gives golden opportunities to silver-haired seniors

Integrated with proprietary technologies such as a hybrid quadruped-wheeled design, large-area tactile sensory skin, multi-fingered dexterous manipulators, and safe physical interaction systems, the robot has demonstrated capabilities in navigating real-world environments, transporting objects, and executing complex tasks through human-robot interaction.

"The Five's core mission is to assist with mobility," said Zhang Zhengyou, Tencent's chief scientist and head of the Robotics X Lab. "It can safely transfer elders from beds to wheelchairs, assist with walking to prevent falls, and help maneuver wheelchairs up ramps."

Leveraging tactile and visual perception systems coupled with recognition, planning and control algorithms, the robot can ensure secure physical interactions.

However, several challenges remain. The human-robot interaction is not yet "natural" enough. For example, The Five cannot recognize emotions accurately, has a limited ability to understand dialects and accents, and moves relatively slowly.

The robots also need to improve their navigation and obstacle-avoidance capabilities. Priced at hundreds of thousands of yuan, cost reduction will be essential for mass production domestically.