The receptionist at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai spoke in a sweet tone, was polite--offering coffee and a song--and was 90 cm tall and worth $15,700.
No, the convention center has not started putting price tags on its employees. The miniscule greeter is a robot and her name is Jiao Jiao, developed by a Jiangsu Province tech company.
Jiao Jiao is one of the hi-tech robotic innovations that have been drawing the crowd in this year's China International Industry Fair in Shanghai. Local and foreign robotics manufacturers are gathered at the five-day affair.
Shenyang Province's Siasun Robot & Automation Co. Ltd. introduced its seven-axis domestic robot, a first of its kind made in China. "Our product is of high flexibility and precise. It will contribute to industrial manufacturing," said a Siasun representative.
China's rising manpower costs and labor shorthandedness prompted the industrial sector to pressure robot manufacturers to come up with solutions to aid the issue.
China has become the global leader in the industrial robotics market due to its dwindling manpower resources. Last year, about 56,000 varying units of industrial robots were sold within the country, accounting for a quarter of the global market, as reported by the China Economic and Social Council.
The government's latest developmental blueprint has included robotics as an element in the 10 industries on which to put the spotlight in the coming years.
"As the robotics industry gains steam, robots will not only expand to dangerous jobs, but also replace cheap labor at repetitive and boring jobs," Shanghai Robot Industry Association head Dai Liu said. "I see bright prospects for the industry."
The China International Industry Fair opened on Nov. 3 and ends on Nov. 7.