Back to basics: SoftBank-backed Keenon Robotics takes pragmatic approach with humanoids

Deploying humanoid robots in the real world will be a gradual process, beginning with simple and repetitive tasks, while truly versatile humanoid robots remain a distant goal, according to Shanghai-based Keenon Robotics.

Founded in 2010, Keenon has emerged as the world’s leading commercial service robot manufacturer, boasting a global shipment market share of nearly 23 per cent last year, according to the research firm IDC. The company said it had sold more than 100,000 robot units worldwide so far, with sales this year expected to grow by 50 per cent.

While its existing robots excel at delivering items, cleaning, and disinfecting, Keenon’s challenge is to find real-world applications for humanoids, including two models it unveiled this year.

Keenon Robotics featured two newly unveiled bipedal models called XMAN-F1 at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, scooping and offering popcorn to visitors in an exhibition area. At Keenon’s dedicated booth, a robot stood ready to offer freshly poured blocktails to visitors.

“At this stage, we don’t expect to create an all-purpose robot,” said Keenon founder and CEO Li Tong. “The deployment of humanoid robots will evolve gradually, from single tasks to multiple tasks, from limited versatility to broader capabilities.”