A global partnership has been launched between SoftBank Robotics Group Corp (SBRG), a global leader in robotics solutions, and Keenon Robotics, the global leading AI company providing indoor intelligent service robots.
The global strategic partnership has been first announced at the SoftBank World event on the 15th of September 2021. The cooperation aims to introduce new robotics systems in the service industry, expanding automation and allowing better efficiency and productivity. This shall allow businesses to improve customer service and experience by redistributing resources for service crews.
Keenon Robotics has been leading the Chinese market, providing intelligent autonomous delivery solutions with cutting-edge technology in the commercial service robot industry. As the company expands, SBRG will be working with various stakeholders in both the public and private sectors to encourage the adoption of robotics in their respective fields. The growth in digitalization, automation, and robotics in the services sector with the use of AI will foster the growth of the delivery robotics market. SBRG’s global presence allows the companies to expand the use of robotics while supplying the best robotics solutions.
As Asia Pacific Delivery Robot Market is projected to have the largest hold, with a share of around 27.1% in the global delivery robot industry, SBRG has its eyes on the APAC market, starting with Singapore as its launchpad.
SBRG is launching a series of robots that will support Singapore’s vision to become a Smart Nation by accelerating the adoption of robotics technology in industries such as F&B, cleaning, hospitality, security, healthcare, logistics, and more.
Embracing robotics solutions in key markets
Keenon Robotics’ Keenbot will be introduced to key SBRG markets starting with Singapore and Japan followed by Europe, Middle East, and the United States. The Keenbot is well suited for the service industry, being equipped with multi-point delivery modes. The robot is able to deliver four dishes at one time and has an intelligent scheduling system. It is also equipped with obstacle avoidance technology, flexible structure, and speed limit in smart zones as part of its workflow processes.
SBRG was encouraged to choose Singapore as its international launchpad by the country’s goal to become a knowledge-based and innovative Smart Nation. Local Food and Beverage operators are all increasingly integrating robotics solutions in their operations, and this trend was further accelerated by the pandemic.
“The service industry, particularly the F&B sector, has been facing a constant challenge of manpower shortage for a very long time now. Whereas we have been using robotic technology in our kitchens to increase our productivity, this will be the first time that we will deploy robotic solutions in our front-of-house operations. Most of our restaurants are full-service restaurants and at Tung Lok, we take service very seriously. We do not expect these robots to replace the human element in our service, but rather, we hope for these robots to further complement and enhance our service efficiency,” said Andrew Tjioe, President & CEO, Tung Lok Group.
“As a platform that serves the everyday needs of consumers, merchants and delivery partners, we are continually seeking new ways to enhance their overall user experience and experiment [with] innovative solutions to address real-life challenges. We are thrilled to partner with Keenon Robotics to introduce its AI-enabled service robots to GrabKitchen at Hillview, our cloud kitchen that houses more than 20 F&B brands. We look forward to improving the agility of our operations and reduce repetitive and manual processes with the help of the robots. The robots will also enable us to better protect our Grabbers’ wellbeing with the reduction of physical contact touchpoints,” said Yee Wee Tang, Managing Director, Grab Singapore.
Generating profitable opportunities through global partnerships
“At SoftBank Robotics, it is all about leveraging the technologies of tomorrow to create better solutions,” said SoftBank Robotics Corp., Kenichi Yoshida, Chief Business Officer. “The partnership with Keenon Robotics, the global leading AI company focusing on indoor intelligent service robots will allow us to deliver cutting edge solutions as an integrated system to increase capability and efficiency in the service industry as well as achieve greater savings.”
“We are proud to partner with SoftBank Robotics, the leader in the robotics solutions industry,” said Keenon Robotics, Tony Li, Chief Executive Officer. “As the cost of labor increases, technology becomes an affordable solution creating an increased appetite for automation alongside human tasks. The Keenbot is one such example of a solution that is meant for convenience and performs well when completing repetitive operational tasks that require precision.”
