"We want the robot to be more of a human being when we research and develop Tami," said Ren Rong, sales manager of the company that produces Tami robots.

Still luxuries

(CHEN XIAOGEN)

Just two months after the robots hit the market, more than 100 sets have been sold. Ten units have gone to homes in Beijing. However, with each robot costing 58,000 yuan ($8,529), it is still a luxury for ordinary consumers. Many buyers are affluent corporate executives who buy the robots for themselves or to give out as gifts.

Other entertaining robots cost more than 10,000 yuan ($1,470) and the cooking robots cost more than 300,000 yuan ($44,117).

"It's not common for the robots to go to Chinese families. One of the reasons for that is they cost too much," said Cao Xuejun, Director of the Automation Division of the Department of Hi-Tech Development and Industrialization under the Ministry of Science and Technology. According to Zhong Yixin, Director General of the Chinese Association for Artificial Intelligence (CAAI), costs are always high for an advanced artificial intelligence product when it goes to the market. Three facts dictate the cost—materials, technology and production scale.

"In fact, the material used to produce robots is not expensive. Technology is not a problem either as many universities and research institutions have done much on it. The problem lies in the transformation from the technology level to the application level," said Zhong. "We lack industrialized production lines. It costs too much to produce several robots but if there is large-scale production, the cost can be brought down."

Home robots have become a fledgling industry that attracts a lot of support in the country's 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-10), offering a great opportunity for robot producers such as the Tami company.

The Tami company is based in Beijing. Returned Chinese from abroad started it in cooperation with foreign robot companies. Company representatives said that they are developing the next generation of Tami robots, which will be able to understand 2,000 sentences.

Successfully developing the robots requires trouble shooting in the core technology along with associated technologies involving mechanism, electronics, energy and communications.

"As an example, lithium batteries for a home-care robot need to be recharged every two hours, which obviously can't satisfy market demand and needs to be improved," said Li Ruifeng, a research fellow with the CAAI.

Compared with developed countries, China's artificial intelligence applications and industrialization still lag behind, "but we still have the ability to develop robots with many functions," said Zhong.

He said some of China's technology stands out in the world.

"I believe that with the advancement of our country's overall strength and technology, artificial intelligence development will get in the fast lane, and more robots will step into the homes of average families to bring more convenience," said He Huacan, Deputy Director General of CAAI.