OracleVoice: Driven By 'Social AI,' Service Robots Prep For More Close-Ups With Humans

SEOUL--People don't want robots just to work for them. They want robots to talk and play with them, too. Look at the recent Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, for an example of this work-and-play dynamic. More than 30 robots from a startup called FutureRobot were on hand at the games to answer visitors' questions in Korean, Chinese, English, or Japanese. With a friendly avatar face and a large touchscreen on a cylindrical body, the robots offered directions to different sporting venues, provided schedules for every event, and more.