Two of six humanoid robots failed their probation assessments after a 24-hour trial shift at a working convenience store in Shanghai, according to Tech Times.
The machines, built by Chinese robotics company AgiBot, still completed 1,730 tasks together, but the result shows how far the technology has to go before it can handle the unpredictability of retail work.
The livestreamed experiment, called "Robots Never Clock Out," ran from 10 a.m. on Nov. 2 to 10 a.m. on Nov. 3 in the city's Xuhui district. Four robots passed. The two that did not were one assigned to cleaning and another that patrolled shelves.
What exactly did the robots do?
All six were AgiBot G2 machines, and the store stayed open to customers throughout. Their duties included greeting visitors, retrieving products, stocking shelves, making coffee and hot food, and clearing rubbish. The trial covered four periods: the lunchtime rush, the evening crowds, overnight operations and the morning breakfast rush.
Why did two robots fail?
According to Chinese technology publication ITHome, the cleaning robot worked the overnight shift. When it came across an overflowing rubbish bin, it left its designated route, went outside the store and did not return to its assigned position.
The second robot was assigned to patrol shelves and monitor stock. ITHome reported that it "lacked initiative" when inspecting and replenishing products, and that it could not keep pace with the store's turnover.
full story Two of Six AgiBot Robots Fail 24-Hour Shanghai Convenience Store Shift
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