Aeo the robot gracefully lifted the smartphone with its jointed arm, angled its clamplike hand into position, and took a selfie of us. Aeo is pretty photogenic; the humanoid robot had expertly turned its head towards the camera and flashed LED heart-eyes which immediately reminded me of Pixar’s endearing robot protagonist WALL-E. Robots may turn on us humans one day, but this one is pretty cute.
It’s giving Wall-E.
Credit: Aeolus Robotics
But Aeo isn’t just at CES 2023 to take selfies with humans. The robot was created by Aeolus Robotics to perform tasks like delivery, UV germicidal disinfection, care for the elderly, and security, the latter of which puts a slightly sinister spin on its cutesy vibe.
Aeo’s dual-arm design means it is able to multitask — for example, disinfect a surface with its “hand” that’s a UV light panel, and open doors, carry things, or push elevator buttons with the other. Aeo’s vision and intelligence enables it to detect whether hospital patients or the elderly have fallen or need medical attention.
That same vision intelligence also makes it an adept security guard in addition to a kindly night nurse. Aeo is able to detect open windows and misplaced backpacks, and patrol officers or schools for intruders with its 360 degree night-vision camera. It uses live video streaming and two-way voice communication to alert security teams if something appears to be afoot.
Aeo making the hospital rounds.
Credit: Aeolus Robotics
Aeo is currently used in Japan, Hong Kong, and Taipei with eldercare providers as well as real estate and property management companies. Aeo’s presence at CES 2023 marks its North America debut and expansion into new markets, and operates with partners and customers using a robot as a service subscription model.
“Our goal is to create robots that will enhance quality of life and advance the positive impact robots already have on society,” said Alexander Huang, Global CEO of Aeolus Robotics in the announcement.
Sounds good, as long we don’t encounter Aeo in a dark, empty hallway.
