Say Hello to Sanbot: Tiny Airport Robot Speaks 28 Languages and Fights Crime

Passengers making their way through airport customs could soon be greeted by a fleet of pint-sized robots. Looking more robo-penguin than Robocop, the Chinese-built Sanbot is being trialled in a number of industries, but will be used at airports to process travellers. Designed and built by Shenzhen-based Qihan, Sanbot is designed to interact with people in a range of environments.

Scroll down for video It is also capable of translating questions in 28 languages and when things get too much, people can be transferred to a human operator. Its makers say the commercial and home android combines the hardware of a cloud-connected robot with Qihans cloud service and a controller app. Sanbot was trialled in Chinas Gongbei Customs, a huge port on mainland Chinas border with gambling hub Macau.

Qihan claimed Sanbots in the trial were trained to recognise known criminals which help customs inspections [inspect] faster and safer. But with most people having to crouch to speak to the little customs officer, Sanbot could prove more entertaining than intimidating. In place of arms, the robot has a pair of flippers and moves around on a set of wheels.

According to TechCrunch which reviewed the mechanoid at a tech show in Berlin in September Sanbot uses a Microsoft Kinect-style movement tracking system and high definition camera, with a number of LEDs for facial features and even an HD projector in its head. It also has a touchscreen tablet computer embedded in its chest along with speakers and a subwoofer. Possible trades touted by Qihan including restaurant waiter, sales assistant, teacher, security guard, entertainment machine and monitoring home technology.

Users can control the bot through the Android or iOS app or through the cloud. TechCrunch reports an affordable price tag, at a reasonable 45,000 Yuan ($6,000/5,300).