In 2016, Hanson Robotics conquered the world with Sophia, who was granted Saudi citizenship. Now, the Hong Kong-based robotics firm has unveiled its latest invention: Grace, a humanoid robot that could revolutionize healthcare.
Designed as an assistant to physicians, Grace is equipped with sensors, including a thermal camera to detect the patient's temperature and pulse, to help physicians diagnose the disease and provide treatments.
Grace speaks three languages ??- English, Chinese and Cantonese - and can develop speech therapy.
Robots like Grace are meant as a support for medical professionals rather than as a replacement, says Hanson Robotics founder and CEO David Hanson.
“Using AI and robotics in this context can help gather important data for healthcare providers to assess patient well-being,” he adds.
Specially developed for the medical sector, Grace's launch comes amid a coronavirus pandemic when there has been increased demand for nurses and contactless care.
According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), global sales of medical robots were already growing before the pandemic, up 28% between 2018 and 2019 - and IFR predicts the sector's value could double in the next three years.
Hanson Robotics says it will begin mass production of robots, including Sophia and Grace, by the end of 2021.
