REEM has a touchscreen, a face recognition system, an autonomous navigation system and is capable of speaking. With all this, it can serve as a guide in trade shows, hotels, hospitals, museums and airports.
PAL Robotics, located in Barcelona, has just launched its latest prototype: a humanoid robot that helps people in events and public spaces. It is 1.65 meters tall, weighs ninety kilos and is mounted on a mobile base which allows it to move about at a speed of five kilometers per hour.
The advanced capabilities of REEM include a motorized head with vision, face tracking and recognition functions. Further, the robot has sensors and a multimedia touchscreen that offers information in various formats. It also has a small platform that can be used to transport objects (a briefcase, for example) and contains a lithium battery that lasts for up to eight hours; this allows the robot to move independently without the need for cables or human intervention.
The idea is that REEM can be used as an assistant in all types of places such as hotels, museums, conferences, hospitals and airports. It can also be employed as entertainment or a logistical tool, and its touchscreen can be used with a wide range of multimedia applications; for example, it can show a map of the surrounding area, call up a variety of information, or offer tele-assistance. REEM can be personalized and adapted to the needs of the client. Its modularity makes it an advanced technological platform “from which it’s possible to create a variety of robots”, maintains the CEO of the company, Francesco Ferro.
PAL Robotics is a robotics research and design company, linked to the PAL Group from United Arab Emirates. The origins of the company date back to 2004, when four engineers began to develop its first humanoid robot, the REEM-A, which was able to walk and play chess. Later, the company developed a second biped robot called REEM-B, which received worldwide recognition as one of the most advanced humanoid robots.