China deploys robots for cleaning and traffic direction in real-world settings

China is making significant strides in embodied AI by utilizing robots for a variety of real-world tasks, including cleaning and managing traffic. The Economic Observer reported on a cleaning service launched in March through 58.com, which combines a human cleaner with a wheeled robot and an engineer. Each three-hour session costs 149 yuan (around US$22), similar to a traditional human-only service. The robot handles repetitive jobs like cleaning floors and wiping tables, allowing the human to focus on more difficult tasks. One cleaner mentioned that the robot takes on about 30% of the workload. Wang Qian, CEO of X Square Robot, highlighted the benefits of gathering real-world data through these home robots, which are also used in various challenging environments.