Isolation is our new life: instead of grocery shopping, we use delivery services. Instead of going out to see a movie, we browse Netflix or YouTube. Owners of small and medium businesses now have to ask themselves what will be the next big thing in this new world ― and how can they be at the forefront of it.

Entertainment Content

Since most people are now at home, we have more free time and a very passive lifestyle on our hands. There would be no better occasion to consume as much content as possible in all of its forms. Movies and TV shows, audiobooks and articles, video games, VR — the content is endless and available during isolation in its entirety. Most companies focusing on content creation kept their business during the crisis and even grew tenfold. And this isn’t theory: in April, Disney was overthrown as the most expensive company by Netflix, which witnessed an all-time peak of their stock market price.

Content creation is the biggest flavor of the month for every business amid the pandemic. Since most companies can’t provide services to their clients, they ensure people are still engaged with their product through content. Not much else to do while at home and on the Internet.

Online Education

A lot of people prefer other ways of spending their time besides consuming endless entertainment. Many turn their heads to education because it’s now or never. Self-isolation is the perfect time to acquire new skills, and all the possible educational platforms are now in demand ― from art lectures to Python programming courses.

People need to spend their energy somehow and if you think there’s something you would like to teach them in the process ― then go ahead!

Communication

Right now, the only way of communication with clients is the Internet. Because of that, most businesses will soon turn much more digital if they haven’t already. We have spikes of demand for hosting services, web design studios, social media agencies. On top of that, most freelancers and self-employed specialists in design, SEO, and copywriting now find themselves getting more and more projects in their fields.

New Offline Services

The delivery services have been all the rage over the past few weeks. Even though people continue their self-isolation, they still need to obtain the essentials somehow: groceries, clothes, medicine, hygiene products, documents, letters, books, household appliances, accessories, gadgets, kitchenware, pet products, contact lenses, batteries, light bulbs, and millions of other things. Soon we’ll see more delivery services than there already is ― for all types of people with different approaches to service, something similar to the taxi industry.

Tourism

For many people, self-isolation feels like torture, to the point where they’re ready to risk their health (and breaking isolation restrictions) because it’s impossible to cope with staying at home. A lot of companies provide safe and lawful options for leaving the isolation. They include open-air spaces, spas, gyms, parks, and other places that we haven’t seen in a while. It is a tricky business because there are all types of legal difficulties that arise in the process, not to mention disinfection and safety precautions. But those who can streamline the process will definitely see a lot of success.

Today, any business has to do three things: not panic, take a look around and start adapting to the new environment. It is simple and imminent ― you cannot lose any more time.

Post Life After Pandemic: Which Businesses Will Thrive in the Brave New World first appeared at PROMOBOT.

Autonomous measurement stations Thermocontrol by Promobot have been sent to Europe as part of a 300,000 Euros contract. First batch will be implemented in late May at a coworking area in Frankfurt.

During the next three months 10 Promobot Thermocontrol stations will be sent to Europe at the overall cost of 50,000 Euros. The contract’s price, as signed by a German company Stey GmbH, is 300,000 Euros.

— We have big plans for future implementations of Thermocontrol, both at industrial facilities and public places. Right now we are in communication with several flagship retailers, universities and other companies in Germany and France. The first two locations where Thermocontrol will be implemented are Frankfurt and Paris, ― says Ludwiga Wirt, representative of Stey GmbH in Frankfurt am Main.

Autonomous screening stations Promobot Thermocontrol measure body temperature in just 5 seconds. Providing up to 300 measurements per hour, these devices are equipped with a contactless thermometer and LCD-display to show measurement results and notifications. An enhanced version provides face recognition and can be integrated with access and security systems in the building.

— Our stations are considerably more precise and reliable compared to similar solutions ― pyrometers and thermal imagers. The former are dependent on the human factor ― if a person misses the measurement spot the temperature can be displayed incorrectly. Pyrometers do not measure the absolute temperature at all ― they simply detect changes in the average temperature. Thermocontrol station, on the other hand, measures the actual temperature of the body surface using a special sensor with accuracy of 0.2 °C. The whole process is contactless and entirely autonomous. There have been a lot of concerns about business security and preoccupations with staff and visitors health, especially in Europe. We are expecting high demand for Thermocontrol and sure this is not our final contract with countries in Europe, ― says Oleg Kivokurtsev, CBDO of Promobot.

Devices were granted certificate of conformity as per technical regiment of Eurasian Customs Union. They are recommended for large-scale implementation at industrial facilities as part of the federal coronavirus prevention guidelines.

Thermocontrol devices are soon to be implemented in Greece and other countries worldwide.

According to John Hopkins University, more than 3,5 million people are diagnosed with Coronavirus at the time of this release. 1,2 million cases have been treated, while 250 000 people have died from COVID-19.

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It is designed to disinfect outdoor and public areas. 

Promobot, the largest service robotics company in Europe, unveiled the new robot as one of the company’s solutions designed to stop the spread of coronavirus. New disinfection robot can disinfect an area of 3 thousand sq. m. and operate for up to 6 hours non-stop.

Recent medical reports show that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can remain active for several hours in the air and up to 3 days on various surfaces. A disinfection process is commonly carried out by heavy equipment that cannot reach certain territories ― from wide city streets to residential areas. Local disinfection can be performed by people, which puts them at risk of transmitting the virus further on themselves.

“With new challenges in mind we reworked our universal mobile platform called Scorpion so that it can perform outdoor disinfection. We kept all of the main features ― it can climb obstacles, work autonomously, integrate with security systems and perform surveillance. In addition to that, it can now disinfect large open areas ― up to 3 thousand sq. m. of territory. Now the person that performs disinfection can do so remotely from a safe location. This allows us to eliminate the human factor and protect people from carrying and contracting the virus directly.” says Oleg Kivokurtsev, Promobot CBDO.

Scorpion is equipped with a disinfectant storage container and can spray disinfectant at up to 10 meter range. The robot travels using chassis and can be remotely controlled via 3G/LTE networks. It can also overcome various obstacles ― stairs, curbs, etc. 15 different robots can be controlled at the same time by one operator.

Promobot is now negotiating with industrial companies, transport stations and airports on implementing the new solution. Aside from large spaces, disinfection can be carried out at malls, office buildings, schools and universities, hospitals, metro stations, parks and forests.

Another version of Scorpion for security purposes was presented in February. It is designed for outdoor surveillance and can even restrict intruders using various equipment ― from a net gun to UAV.

In addition to the disinfection robot, Promobot also presented autonomous screening terminals Thermocontrol, as well as the new version of its Promobot V.4 with Medical Assessor functionality. Both can measure body temperature, as well as other measurements, conduct a survey on the initial symptoms of diseases caused by COVID-19.

According to John Hopkins University, more than 2,1 million people are diagnosed with Coronavirus at the time of this release. 550 000 cases have been treated, while 146 000 people have died from COVID-19.

Promobot company was founded in 2015. Today, Promobot is the largest manufacturer of autonomous service robots in Europe. Promobots work in 38 countries as administrators, promoters, consultants, guides and building managers. Promobot robots assist and optimize the workforce and can be found in the metro, airports, Dubai Mall, IKEA stores and other crowded places.

Post A disinfection robot by Promobot will help during COVID-19 pandemic first appeared at PROMOBOT.

Robots can help with disinfection indoors and outdoors and prevent further spread of the virus by diagnosing, serving, and in some cases even treating patients who have developed a disease.

Disinfection

A robot for disinfection was developed in China for outdoor disinfection of potentially dangerous public places. It can be controlled remotely and remain protected from potential exposure to the virus.

The robot itself is a mobile platform on chassis. A disinfectant storage container is installed onto it with a spraying mechanism doing the disinfection of the surfaces on its way.

Prevention

According to the WHO and other medical establishments, a set of rules has to be in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

This February, a Promobot robot was conducting a survey for people in New York. The robot would attract the attention of people and then ask five questions that could determine the initial symptoms of COVID-19. The robot would advise a doctor’s visit even if the symptoms appeared insignificant. Not too long ago, Promobot was used for the same purpose in Mexico ― to demonstrate the importance of early prevention of a coronavirus disease.

This isn’t the only solution developed by Promobot to combat the new threat. A Medical Assessor Robot is also used to measure blood sugar levels, take non-invasive blood tests, and measure lung capacity. It can be purchased from the company’s website.

Diagnostic

Another recent solution in the field of coronavirus prevention with robotics is a robot for throat swabs. This solution helps control the spread of the disease among medical workers.

The robot was developed by the Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health and the Shenyang Institute of Automation under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It consists of a mechanical arm made by Universal Robots, a binocular endoscope, wireless transmission equipment, and an interaction terminal.

The mechanical arm operates the endoscope inside the human’s throat. The endoscope presents a high-resolution anatomical image in 3D. The robot is operated remotely and collects throat swabs quickly and painlessly.

Another robot from Xi’an Jiaotong University provides contactless body temperature measurement of multiple people. According to the developers, it is used to control the body temperature of people in public areas ― train stations, airports, hospitals, and other places.

Service

In Guangzhou, hospital robots are used to deliver food and medication to people infected with COVID-19. They collect medical waste and used sheets from patients. By using robots there are lesser chances of cross-contamination within the medical staff and more time to dedicate to immediate medical tasks.

Robots are developed specifically to do deliveries ― they can move and avoid collisions, open doors, and even use elevators. Their mapping system allows for precise navigation and a built-in patient database ensures every patient is taken care of.

Treatment

Finally, medical specialists and engineers from Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok developed robots for high-res communication between the doctor and the patient. These robots use 5G networks and minimize contact with carriers of the disease.

According to the developers, robots can be further equipped to measure body temperature and blood pressure, as well as EKG with immediate transfer of the results to the doctors.

Post Robots Against Coronavirus: How Technologies Help People Fight the Pandemic first appeared at PROMOBOT.

Primary Motors Inc., a car dealership in Commack, NY, today employed the first robot salesperson at a car dealership. The Promobot robot will greet visitors, request contact information and ascertain the customer’s interests. Then, the robot will alert the appropriate sales associate and wirelessly transmit all the relevant information.

In the dealership, Promobot robot offers information to customers on available cars, pricing options and best solutions for each client.  The robot can even help a customer schedule a test drive. After a consultation, the robot refers visitors to a specific sales manager based on customer requirements. This eliminates wasted time and allows fewer associates to handle the same number of customers.

The robot communicates using artificial intelligence and can independently move while avoiding obstacles. Robot owners can easily add new expressions, create customized movements, emotions and applications. They work in airports, museums, on security teams, doctors offices, and as building managers across the world.

“Promobot is an open platform that we constantly develop new use cases for and enter new markets,” said Promobot CBDO Oleg Kivokurtsev. “The car sales industry is relatively limited so the quality of service is often the biggest priority. Unlike humans, a robotized sales consultant won’t make mistakes, never gets sick, never gets tired, and can chat and consult all day long. This solution will help car dealers complete sales and grow immensely.”

The first robotized sales consultant was brought to life thanks to a collaboration of Promobot Corp, iClone Robotics Inc and Primary Motors Inc. The technical support of the robot will be carried out from a Promobot office in Pennsylvania as well as iClone Robotics Long Island office. Today, Promobot robots work in 38 countries around the world, including several dozen robots in the US ― they can be found in Las Vegas, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Miami.

“Promobot is the most affordable robot worldwide and also the only one that could perform all the functions required for a salesperson at the car dealership,” said Primary Motors Service Manager Peter Galante. “Every new customer is very surprised when they see the robot, they are very interested in speaking to Max, the name of our new robot. We are not a very large dealership but a couple of more robots will definitely ease our operations.”

Promobot company was founded in 2015. Today, Promobot is the largest manufacturer of autonomous service robots in Europe. Promobots work in 38 countries as administrators, promoters, consultants, guides and building managers. Promobot robots assist and optimize the workforce and can be found in the metro, airports, Dubai Mall, IKEA stores and other crowded places.

Post Using robots for “social distance”: New York car dealership hires robot to work on showroom floor first appeared at PROMOBOT.