Pudu Robotics launches next-gen retail service Robot

Pudu Robotics, a global leader in the service robotics sector, has announced the launch of BellaBot Pro, the next generation of its flagship smart service robot, using AI to deliver personalized interactions to customers throughout their dining and retail experience. This new robot includes new voice and greeting interaction, improved dish identification, an updated curve screen for advertising and enhanced safety, and efficiency features.

The company informs that since its launch in 2019, BellaBot has been successfully deployed in high-traffic environments by global brands such as PizzaHut, Jollibee, Carrefour, KFC and Walmart, among others. These companies use the robot to deliver orders, promote menu items and products, and welcome guests.

In the United States, the restaurant and retail industry are heavily investing in automation and AI to alleviate widespread labor shortages. By 2025, quick-service restaurants expect 51% of tasks to be automated, while full-service restaurants predict 27%. In retail, 85% of businesses expect to adopt robotics on a significant level by 2025. Restaurateurs and retailers in both industries are turning to PUDU, and the new BellaBot Pro, which integrates PUDU's proprietary mapping technology, PUDU VSLAM+ for improved navigation, along with AI for enhanced voice interactions.

"We are at an automation and robotics tipping point across the economy. Pudu Robotics aims to develop robots which improve the efficiency of human production and living, and our service robots are used throughout the world," said Felix Zhang, founder and CEO of Pudu Robotics." 

BellaBot Pro, the latest addition to PUDU's fleet of smart service robots, features several enhancements that push the robotics industry forward, including:

• Enhanced Marketing Capabilities: The inclusion of a new 18.5-inch advertising screen on the robot's body, transforming it into a mobile promotion platform that captures customer attention and increases ad conversion efficiency. Its marketing prowess is further amplified by customizable options such as dynamic facial expressions, multimedia advertising, a variety of voice selections, and an adaptable skin appearance, among others. These features empower businesses to create personalized marketing promotions and campaigns, and offer an engaging and interactive experience for consumers.
• Advanced PUDU VSLAM+ Technology: BellaBot Pro features laser and vision fusion for simplified, sticker-free deployment, adaptable to a variety of environments, including those with high ceilings (up to 30 meters) and large areas (up to 200,000 square meters), reducing setup time by 75%.
• Greeting Recognition Interaction: BellaBot Pro's front camera will soon be able to detect specific customer gestures, such as waving, and be able to determine the appropriate response to interact with customers.
• Improved Tray Detection: Utilizes visual inspection (fisheye camera) to monitor BellaBot Pro's tray status, allowing the robot to autonomously proceed to the next task once it detects that a customer has completed their self-service meal collection. It streamlines the BellaBot Pro's delivery-pickup-redelivery process, enhancing the overall dining experience for customers.
• Dish Recognition:  BellaBot Pro can recognize dishes on the tray and provide dish introductions through voice broadcast, creating a new level of customer interaction, elevating the dining experience and ensuring order accuracy. It's a primary application of AI technology in BellaBot Pro, using the latest metric learning technique to accurately capture visual characteristics of dishes such as shape, color, and contour.
• Tray Atmosphere Light: Introduces a new light above the tray for clear meal pickup signals, minimizing errors, and improving the dining experience and operational efficiency for stores.
• Omnidirectional Obstacle Avoidance: Offers omnidirectional perception utilizing 2 front view cameras, 3 RGBD cameras and one Lidar to provide full front chassis coverage, reducing blind spots, and enabling the robot to recognize and respond to customer greetings for a more natural and engaging interaction.
• Ground Projector Lights:  Provides ground projection lighting for scenarios with BellaBot Pro approaching intersections, alerting pedestrians to the robot's approach, thereby enhancing blind spot safety and reducing accident risks.