Chinese human-robot pushes toward innovation-led, high-quality growth

(MENAFN) With just a couple of taps on a screen, soft music fills the room as a robotic arm begins a soothing massage. “So comfortable,” a guest remarks. “I could lie here all day.”

This isn’t an ordinary machine — it’s a collaborative robot, or cobot, developed by Chinese company AUBO Robotics Technology. Unlike traditional robots, this cobot can sense, adapt, and respond to its environment, embodying a new era of automation that blends intelligence with a sense of touch.

Tian Hua, senior marketing manager at AUBO, describes this shift as “the new face of Chinese manufacturing — not man versus machine, but man with machine.” Once limited to factory settings, cobots are now expanding into sectors like healthcare and hospitality. As China pushes toward innovation-led, high-quality growth, companies like AUBO present cobots not as replacements for workers but as collaborators — enhancing opportunities for small businesses, skilled employees, and everyday life.

Historically, automation was often seen as a threat to jobs, but the rise of cobots tells a different story focused on partnership rather than rivalry.

Tian points to a robot barista that expertly tops lattes with intricate foam art. “It takes 90 seconds to recreate a master’s pour,” Tian explains. These robots have been deployed in libraries and popular spots around Beijing, quickly becoming crowd favorites.

Capable of consistently producing 300 cups of high-quality latte art daily — equivalent to a human barista working nonstop for 15 hours but struggling to maintain such quality — these machines demonstrate their value.

“These robots aren’t here to replace people,” Tian emphasizes. “They support human staff by handling repetitive, physically demanding tasks, freeing them to focus on more valuable, human-centered work.”

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