Robots might be Europe’s last chance, as the continent ‘does require this economic pillar to sustain’ itself
By Daxia Rojas / AFP, PARIS
Humanoid robots able to perform tasks from grape harvesting to welcoming visitors were front and center at France’s Vivatech trade fair, with European firms looking to fill niches beyond what dominant Chinese giants can offer.French company Enchanted Tools was showing off its Mirokai, a “social” robot with long orange ears and wide blue eyes.Able to communicate in more than 50 languages, prototypes of the Paris-based firm’s machine are already out in the wild, welcoming people to hospitals and airports, marketing chief Richard Malterre said on a stage at Vivatech, which ran from Wednesday to yesterday.
Mirokai, a robot built by Enchanted Tools, is displayed at the VivaTech fair at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles on Wednesday.
The start-up hopes its first mass-produced models will arrive by the end of this year.“At least 60 percent of the robot is manufactured in Europe and we’re fighting to keep it that way,” Malterre told reporters.
