Roborock Q Revo: a maintenance-free vacuum and mop

Source: Roborock. The new Q Revo robot vacuum and mop.

Roborock, the home robotics company, has introduced the Q Revo maintenance-free robot vacuum and mop.

The Roborock Q Revo is an all-in-one vacuum and mop with a maintenance dock. The mopping technology used is an alternative to the brand's signature VibraRise system.

Roborock's first-ever dual spinning mop system effectively cleans floors at 200 revolutions per minute (RPM) and has suction power of 5,500Pa. The automatic mop-lifting feature lifts the mop for up to 7 mm, which allows the Q Revo to mop floors and vacuum in one go. After cleaning, the Q Revo returns to a newly-designed multifunctional dock, which self-empties, self-refills, washes the mop and dries it. The dock also charges quickly.

The device has an all-rubber brush and Reactive Tech Obstacle Avoidance to avoid hair tangles and obstacles on different floor types. 

Q Revo is compatible with the Roborock app, which allows fine control with features such as No-Go Zones, Quick Mapping, Custom Cleaning Schedules, Multi-Level Mapping, 3D Mapping, and more. The latest capabilities are Deep Carpet Cleaning, Clean Along Floor Direction, and Smart Suggestion for No-Go Zones. 

Details 

Preorders open on 6 June (6.6) at a special price of S$1,199.90, valid for the day, via the brand’s official stores on Shopee and Lazada.

There are also deals on the S8 Pro Ultra (from S$1,699.90), S8 (from S$739.90), Dyad Pro (from S$599.90) and Q7 Max (from S$499.90).

Enterprise Singapore supports F&B, food manufacturers with new digital initiatives

RESTAURANT 3.0.

Enterprise Singapore has introduced new digital initiatives at Food&HotelAsia (FHA) 2018 to support Singapore food and beverage (F&B) and food manufacturing companies in capturing new overseas opportunities and improve operational efficiencies.

The digital initiatives launched include a B2B online platform for food manufacturers and the RESTAURANT 3.0 showcase for F&B companies.

Enterprise Singapore and the Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) launched the SMF SMART App at the Singapore Pavilion at FHA, to make it easier, faster and more convenient for food manufacturers to export overseas. The B2B online platform, developed by Singapore technology company iSprint Innovations, facilitates consolidation of online orders for overseas buyers and provides features such as traceability and authentication of products.

Visitors at the show can use this smart app to scan barcodes of physical products at FHA to view more product details. They can also perform checkout via the smart app. Other features include:

 Access to the SMF Digital Marketplace* on the app

 Automatic checks on quantities of product/s required to fill each shipping container through the shipping cubic meter calculation function

 Authentication of Singapore products with a track and trace function via the use of QR codes and IT security technology

 Reduced paperwork for food manufacturers with an online procurement process

In addition, Enterprise Singapore and SMF have extended the reach of the Singapore Pavilion beyond the physical limits of FHA by bringing it onto Alibaba.com. This allows buyers to browse the Singapore products and indicate business interest.

Sunny Koh, Deputy President of SMF and Chairman of the F&B Industry Group, said, “Today’s launch of the digital initiatives enhances the effectiveness of our WIP programme**. They will further benefit our small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in reaching out to users overseas including Southeast Asia. The track and trace function of the SMF SMART App also helps prevent counterfeit of goods. It is definitely a win-win situation for all sellers and buyers locally and globally, and the overall promotion of an authentic and quality Singapore brand.”

There are currently 103 Singapore companies with 871 products on board the SMF SMART App and SMF Alibaba.com platforms. SMF is working to bring in more food manufacturers on board and exploring the feasibility of extending the digital initiatives to other industries.

Kee Ai Nah, Executive Director of Lifestyle & Consumer Cluster, Enterprise Singapore, said, “Enterprise Singapore’s partnership with SMF enables Singapore SMEs to capture more overseas opportunities by making the buyer’s procurement process easier through the use of technology. SMF has been proactive and forward-looking in driving tech adoption; we hope to work with other trade associations and chambers (TACs) to implement such digital initiatives to benefit our SMEs collectively.”

The digital initiatives are supported through Enterprise Singapore’s Local Enterprise and Association Development (LEAD) programme. The Local Enterprise and Association Development (LEAD) Programme aims to enhance industry and enterprise competitiveness. Through partnerships with industry associations that are willing to take the lead in industry development and drive initiatives to improve the overall capabilities of SMEs in their industries, LEAD provides focused and customised support at the industry level.

With over 160,000 workers, the food services industry is a sizeable employer contributing 5% of total employment in Singapore. Technology could help companies in the industry improve workflow, enhance the working environment for staff and retain employees with the right skills and aptitude. As of end-2017, more than a third of food outlets in Singapore are already adopting technology such as digital services and kitchen automation, organisers said.

A robotic platform programmed to
serve coconut ice cream.

RESTAURANT 3.0 at FHA 2018 displays new technologies that F&B companies can adopt. It presents how digital, robotics and technology-enabled modular systems can improve the overall supply chain of food services - from farm, processing and production (back-of-house) to service at the table (front-of-house). The showcase is a multiparty collaboration by Enterprise Singapore, Workforce Singapore, Singapore Productivity Centre and Restaurant Association of Singapore.

Back-of-house exhibits included:

- An urban farming solution to grow their own vegetables and herbs in a controlled environment in response to customers’ increased preference for fresh ingredients and healthier food.

An urban farming solution.

- Outsourcing of food preparation to larger and better-equipped central kitchens, operated by food manufacturers.

- The ready meals model, where a central kitchen produces the food, and kitchen assistants need only heat it up, plate and serve. This reduces manpower and enables the creation of new distribution channels, such as supermarkets and e-commerce, without having to open additional outlets.

- Bite-sized automation in kitchens, such as for inventory management (receiving, storage, drawing of stocks), food preparation, dishwashing and food preparation

- Robotics

A preprogrammed robotic arm can grill beef, picking up the raw meat from the chiller, cooking it on the griddle, plating the steak and placing it at service point, all at the touch of a button.

Front-of-house exhibits included:

- Food vaults, where meals can be ordered from anywhere through a mobile phone app or web-based platform, and then picked up at the allocated vault, similar to a post office box.

- RFID vending machines, which are totally automated, open 24x7 and can deliver a meal in under three minutes from ordering. The first Vendcafé , launched in 2016, has 90% less manpower than an eatery offering a similar menu and seating space.

- Robotics

A fully automated robotic platform can fulfil an order of serving ice cream inside a coconut shell, or make coffee.

Ready meals can be ordered, reheated, and then placed into vaults for collection.

Explore:

Watch the Instavideo where Makko the robot chef shows how it handles fries

Hashtag: #FHA2018

*Details of Singapore products will be listed on the SMF Digital Marketplace for buyers to view. 

**The WIP programme is a partnership between Enterprise Singapore and SMF to enable different Singapore food products to be consolidated in containers and exported to overseas retailers/importers through direct shipment. 

Credit Suisse: three megatrends for 2018

Source: Credit Suisse. Cavalli.

The sixth annual Credit Suisse Global Megatrends Conference 2018 in Singapore covered three megatrends: technology at the service of humans - artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, a future where Millennials rule, and the silver economy.

In his opening address Benjamin Cavalli, Head of Private Banking Southeast Asia, Singapore CEO, Credit Suisse, explained that megatrends are investment themes based on Credit Suisse’s House View. "They link developments such as political changes in the West, worldwide demographic shifts, and, continuous technological advances, with concrete investment opportunities geared towards the medium- to long term, and most certainly targeted to ultimately improve portfolios’ risk/return profile in the long run," he said.

He noted that with the rise of artificial intelligence, “traditional” industries ranging from healthcare and eldercare to manufacturing are being transformed. At the same time, virtual reality applications are moving beyond gaming and entertainment to education, design, architecture, marketing and even medical practice.

On the flip side Cavalli listed various pressing issues:

 The enormous capacity of artificial intelligence (called AI) to process data has heightened issues of privacy and data security, amplified by its role in the maneuvring of political campaigns.

 The viral power of social media to galvanises active citizen-centred movements on gender equality and youth safety, yet at the same time radically intensifying political and social division in many countries.

 Ongoing debates around fake news, the boundaries of social media and the challenges of regulation.

 Driverless cars causing deaths leading to the question of whether this spells the end of AI in autonomous vehicles.

"How do we, as investors, remain focused on technology being at the service of humans, at a time when technology is increasingly perceived as a threat? How do we see beyond all the short term noises and the daily ups and downs of the financial markets, to focus on the predictability and sustainability of these long-term secular trends, and seek profit from them? Today’s conference will cast the spotlight on some of these topics, and hopefully put into perspective the long term impact they will have in the world of investing," he said yesterday.

When it comes to the silver dollar, Cavalli noted that by 2050, more than 2 billion of the world’s population are expected to be aged 60 and above. This is a full 20% of the world’s total population. "Here in Singapore, the statistics are even starker – in thirty years’ time, almost 50% of Singapore’s population will be aged 65 or older – and that includes me," he said.

At the other end of the demographic spectrum, he said that those below 35, often termed Millennials,  have values around societal perspectives which drive their investments and businesses that have implications in shaping the world economy. Credit Suisse works with Millennials though its Young Investors Organization (YIO), a network representing more than 1,200 members of the next generation of the most influential families around the world that is solely sponsored by the financial institution.

The conference, attended by around 600 guests of Credit Suisse, was themed The Future. Now, and included 30 members from the YIO from around the world.

Hashtag: #CSMegatrends

Hotel Jen adds robots to the teams in Singapore

Jena and Jeno.

Hotel Jen has become the first international hotel brand to use Savioke's Relay robots in Asia. The two robots, named Jeno and Jena, will join the teams at Hotel Jen Orchardgateway and Tanglin Singapore respectively. The duo will deliver amenities and local favourites from the in-room dining menu to guests when an order for them is placed.

Sekercioglu.

Cetin Sekercioglu, Executive VP, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, said the hotel brand seeks out disruptive technology that can enhance productivity and the customer experience. “Hotel Jen is proud to be the first brand in the Shangri-La group to introduce this technology. The new 'colleagues' will be great team players in getting important things done well and delivered in Jen’s distinctive style. Known to curate playful experiences, Hotel Jen, through the Relay robots, yet again proves that it can surprise and delight urban adventure-seekers,” he said.

Stationed at the hotel lobby 24x7, both Jeno and Jena sport bright uniforms in shades of brand colours - turquoise and pink respectively, affixed with the signature bicycle that evokes a sense of travel. Inspired by the concept of a butler, Toby Tan (@tobyato) from Band of Doodlers designed a jacket and tie for Jeno, and a scarf for Jena.

The pair are almost 1m tall and can move unmanned around the hotel at a safe speed of 2.5 kmh, half that of the average human walking speed. They can ride the lifts by themselves, make phone calls to rooms upon arrival, and are equipped with sensitive sensors so that they can to avoid obstacles in their paths.

Source: Hotel Jen. Jeno makes a delivery. The top of the robot automatically opens to show its contents at the right time, and will close by itself after the guest has rated its performance.

Guests can expect Jeno or Jena to deliver amenities within 15 minutes of the request. They will also make deliveries from a supper menu featuring local flavours, from midnight to 6 am.

"We will always retain the human touch," added Sekercioglu. "The technology will add to the guest experience."

Hotel Jen embraces the love for life and travel, helping travellers to leave 'boring' behind through spontaneous experiences, unpublished insights and unconventional perspectives. Launched in 2014, Hotel Jen offers 10 outlets, in Singapore; Hong Kong; Beijing and Shenyang, China; Manila in the Philippines; Penang and Johor in Malaysia; Brisbane, Australia; and Malé, Maldives. Hotel Jen is slated to open in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia in 2019.

Explore:

Read the WorkSmart Asia blog post about Hotel Jen Tanglin's festive offerings

Hashtag: #JenaJeno

Kickstarter focus: A better chair that eliminates back pain

Simon Hong, a neuroscientist, wants to get funding for the Chairbot, a robot that suggests a new position for the user based on his or her existing posture.

Source: Kickstarter page

The ChairBot does away with back pain with a split seat that basically means the user 'sits' by being supported on one side and standing on the other. 

"The basic design of frequent alternation prevents trauma to the spine caused by maintaining a single posture for an extended period of time. In addition, the chair encourages the proper degree of extension of the spine, as in a standing posture. That is because you are practically standing, while half of your body weight is supported," says Hong on the Kickstarter page. "It's 2014, and we still suffer from sitting-related back pain; that's not acceptable!"

US$2,700 will get a backer a Chairbot. The funding request ends May 4.
 
View the associated video here.