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Pudu Technology Co. today launched KettyBot Pro, the newest generation of its delivery and reception robot. The service robot is designed to address labor shortages in the retail and restaurant industries and enhance customer engagement, said the company.

“In addition to delivering food and returning items, KettyBot can attract, greet, and guide customers in dynamic environments while generating advertising revenue, reducing overhead, and enhancing the in-store experience,” stated Shenzhen, China-based Pudu.

“We hear from various businesses that it’s hard to maintain adequate service levels due to staff being overwhelmed and stretched thin,” said Felix Zhang, founder and CEO of Pudu Robotics, in a release. “Robots like KettyBot Pro lend a helping hand by collaborating with human staff, improving their lives by taking care of monotonous tasks so that they can focus on more value-added services like enhancing customer experience. And people love that you can talk to it.”

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KettyBot Pro designed to step up service

KettyBot Pro can enhance the customer experience with artificial intelligence-enabled voice interaction, said Pudu Robotics. The mobile robot also has autonomous path planning.

The company said the latest addition to its fleet of commercial service robots includes the following new features:

• Passability upgrade: A new RGBD depth camera — with an ultra-wide angle that boosts the robot’s ability to detect and avoid objects — reduces KettyBot’s minimum clearance from 55 to 52 cm (21.6 to 20.4 in.) under ideal conditions. This allows the robot to navigate through narrow passageways and operate in busy dining rooms and stores.
• Smart tray inspection: Pudu claimed that this functionality is “a first in the industry.” The robot uses a fisheye camera above the tray to detect the presence or absence of objects on the tray. Once a customer has picked up their meal, the vision system will automatically recognize the completion of thetask and proceed to the next one without the need for manual intervention.
• Customization for customers: The integration with PUDU Open Platform allows users to personalize KettyBot Pro’s expressions, voice, and content for easy operation and the creation of differentiated services. In a themed restaurant, the KettyBot Pro can display expressions or play lines associated with relevant characters as it delivers meals. It can also provide personalized welcome messages and greeting services, such as birthday services in star-rated hotels.
• Mobile advertising display: Through the PUDU Merchant Management Platform, businesses can flexibly edit personalized advertisements, marketing videos, and more. Equipped with an 18.5 in. (38.1 cm) large screen, the KettyBot Pro offers new ways to promote menu updates and market products for restaurant and retail clients.
• New color schemes: The KettyBot is now available in “Pure Black” in addition to the white and yellow, or the yellow and black color scheme of the original model. Pudu said this variety will will better meet the aesthetic preferences of customers in different industries across global markets. For instance, high-end hotels and business venues regard Pure Black as the premium choice, it said.

Pudu Robotics builds for growth

Founded in 2016, Pudu Robotics said it has shipped nearly 70,000 units in more than 60 countries. Since its launch in 2021, global brands such as KFC, MediaMarkt, Pizza Hut, and Walmart have successfully deployed KettyBot in high-traffic environments. These companies use the robot to deliver orders, market menu items and products, and welcome guests, said Pudu.

With growing healthcare needs and advances in artificial intelligence, the U.S. service robotics market is poised to grow this year, Zhang told The Robot Report.

Pudu Robotics — which reached $100 million in revenue in 2022 — is building two new factories near Shanghai that it said will triple the company’s annual capacity and help it meet global demand.