With a ten-point touch screen on top, Afubot is equipped with an internal eight-core ARM Coretex-A53 processor and the Android 6.0 operating system, and its operation and performance are well above adequate.

In addition, as an assistant robot, Afubot has a 5 million pixel auto-focus video camera on top which can be used for video calling and monitoring functions and can swing 33 degrees upwards and downwards. Furthermore, in order to meet video requirements, the body is also capable of rotating 360 degrees.

As for external linkage and wireless functions, Afubot has a USB jack, a Micro USB jack, and a GbE Ethernet interface. It also supports Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi Direct for Miracast. And Afubot can be used as a Wireless Access Point to increase the coverage of wireless network in the house.

However, Afubot's greatest and most adored functions are its open architecture and cloud functionality. This is also the core concept behind Afubot when it was being developed by IEI. Because Afubot runs on the Android operating system, it allows users to install Android Market APPs by themselves, creating more possibilities for applications.

In addition, Afubot can also be used in conjunction with Taiwan's leading networking equipment supplier, QNAP Systems Inc.'s, NAS system to utilize more household cloud media features.

“We hope to be able to work together with more application and software developers to jointly engage in development of the Afubot and expand the scope of its diverse uses,” said Don Yu, Senior Associate Vice President of Product Management Dept. of IEI Integration.

IEI Integration is a very advanced Taiwanese industrial computer manufacturer with more than twenty years of experience in the industry, and they have excellent products and technologies in the domains of medical care, transportation, building automation, and smart factories. The company is currently focusing on the development of new-generation IoT applications.

“Afubot can provide elderly people with care and companionship in their homes, and through video and monitoring functions it can fully grasp the daily living conditions of elderly people. Furthermore, Afubot can also serve as an information and entertainment device that is an extension of the domestic lifestyle,” said Donny Chen, Director of Value-added Customization Dept. of IEI Integration, who in charge of the development of Afubot.

“For example, when placed in the kitchen it can instantly provide answers to queries about recipes, and in the living room it can be used as a home karaoke media player,” said Donny Chen.

Observing the actual product and demonstrating situation, Afubot's assembly is of good quality, with exquisite workmanship, smooth online video quality, video playback without delays, and considerably practical voice control functionality.

As a leading industrial computer manufacturer, IEI has different ideas about the sales and development of the Afubot. Therefore, in addition to providing direct purchasing of the finished product, IEI will also accept orders from OEMs and ODMs and provide customized manufacturing services for customers who require them.

“The thinking behind the name “Afubot” is actually derived from “affordable luxury robot,” and it represents IEI's hopes of being able to provide customers with high-quality and economically beneficial robot products,” said Don Yu.

(TR/ Phil Sweeney)