On April 7, the first batch of intelligent robots for passenger service were put into operation at Caoqiao Station of the Beijing Daxing International Airport Express (short for Daxing Airport Express). The robots are able to respond to the general and emergent needs of passengers who can fully experience services by the "smart subway" system.

The aesthetics of the robots follow the design of "Bai Jing" (white whale) Metro Train with an interactive screen for passengers installed at the front. Passengers can access the service contents by tapping on the screen. "Nihao, Bai Jing Hao" (Hello, White Whale Metro Train) is required before activating interactive functions, through which information including ticket prices and the train schedule for Daxing Airport Express can be inquired and searched. Meanwhile, the robots provide diverse services including weather inquiries and latest flight schedules.

Services for station navigation are also provided. This function can be activated through the touchscreen or voices, which activates robots to lead passengers to their designated sites. At present, robots in Caoqiao Station of Daxing Airport Express can guide passengers to various locations including the entrances, ticket offices, taxi stops and airport terminals.

The robots are set up with safety features such as automatic charging when battery runs low, system reboots, emergency stop buttons and tilt alarms. They are also equipped with an ultrasonic, obstacle avoidance system which helps detect obstacles while moving around.

(Source: Beijing Youth Daily)