Six-legged robot guide dog shows promise for China's visually impaired community

A Chinese-developed robotic dog could help bridge the severe shortage of guide dogs in China, enhancing accessibility for the visually impaired in the age of artificial intelligence.

Pioneered by engineers at Shanghai Jiaotong University, the dog features a unique six-legged design as well as advanced navigation and safety features.

During a field test by the Yangpu River on Thursday, 41-year-old Li Fei experienced the assistance of a guide dog for the first time. The robot demonstrated fluid movements such as advancing, stopping, and turning, and reacting instantaneously to nearby pedestrians and obstacles.

Chen Zhijun, an assistant researcher at the School of Mechanical and Power Engineering at Shanghai Jiaotong University, explained the advantages of the additional pair of legs.

"Most robotic dogs on the market have four legs that step in pairs, leaving them balancing on two legs at a time in a linear configuration. This makes them unstable as they need to continuously step to maintain balance. Our model, however, has six legs. It steps with three legs at a time, always forming a stable triangular base and ensuring it can stand firmly without constant movement," Chen explained. 

For Li Fei, walking just a hundred meters with the robotic guide dog was an incredible experience. Overwhelmed by the moment, she squatted down after the test to gently feel the contours of her new companion.

"When it guides me, my path is straighter. On my own, as someone who is blind, I cannot walk in a straight line," Li said.

Researchers noted that the robotic guide dog does not need a constant internet connection because it can indefinitely memorize a route once learned.

Mimicking the capabilities of a real dog, it is equipped with four 'senses': hearing, sight, speech, and touch. The robot's default speed ranges from 0.6 to 0.8 meters per second but can be adjusted according to the user's input.

"Its top speed can reach up to 1.6 meters per second. We control the speed through a responsive interaction with the user. The guide cane senses the force from the user's hand, speeding up when pushed and slowing down when pulled," Chen explained.

Feedback from Li, the test user, provided insights on areas for improvement, including the need to prompt users more often.

"We need plenty of voice prompts. For instance, if the robot dog needs to turn suddenly, the blind user wouldn't anticipate this. The robot dog should speak out its actions in advance to warn of an upcoming turn or when approaching stairs," said Chen.

Despite the introduction of China's first guide dog "Mao Mao" in December 2006, high costs and training difficulties have led to a significant gap between supply and demand, resulting in persistent challenges for visually impaired individuals in the country.

With more than 17 million visually impaired people in China, the development of robotic guide dogs could significantly improve mobility and independence for many.

Six-legged robot guide dog shows promise for China's visually impaired community

The Russian auto market has undergone a major shift in recent years,with Chinese brands surging in popularity and now capturing over half of new car sales in Russia.

Following Russia's conflict with Ukraine, major companies from Germany, the U.S., South Korea, and Japan ceased official sales, supplies, and services in the country, leading to a significant increase in prices for their cars and spare parts.

This void has been filled by Chinese car brands, whose market share in Russia surged to over 60 percent in 2023, nearly doubling from the previous year. In contrast, China held just a 9 percent market share in February 2022.

Ekaterina, an owner of a Chinese car who switched from a European brand, cited the complications in servicing her old car after Western car brands exited the Russian market. She highlighted the stability of Chinese car prices as a key factor behind her decision.

"A year ago, many people had concerns about whether to switch to a Chinese-made car and some of my friends decided to do so. People looked at the car, listened to the pitch, and made the choice naturally because the price is stable," she said.

Sergey Tselikov, director of the analytical agency Avtostat, predicts further growth in 2024, as Chinese companies have already exported record volumes of cars to Russia.

"First, almost all other brands have stopped supplying to Russia. Automakers in South Korea, Japan, Europe and the U.S. have halted supplies amid fears of sanctions," said Tselikov.

Tselikov also pointed to the significant quality improvements in Chinese car manufacturing over the past five to seven years as another reason for their popularity in Russia.

The share of dealerships selling Chinese cars in Russia witnessed a remarkable increase, rising from 31 percent to 65 percent in 2023, while the number of models and modifications continues to expand. Chinese automakers have even re-purposed some factories previously used by Western car manufacturers.

Russia is also encouraging localization efforts, hoping to revive its own car manufacturing industry.

"The [Russian] Ministry of Industry and Trade and the government are stimulating and trying to ensure that the cars are not only imported but assembled in Russia and then hopefully localized. In Russia, this is a problematic endeavor because it is very difficult to produce cheaper components in Russia than those produced in China," said Tselikov.

Russian companies are seeking collaboration with Chinese firms to domestically assemble Chinese cars. Moskvich, a long-established Soviet-era car company, has started assembling Chinese cars under its own brand.

Chinese cars reshape Russia's auto industry as Western brands scale back