Yahoo TV

Meet Alexei…

He may soon be the face of a robot near you.

Russian robot manufacturer Promobot has opened a new department for the further development of hyper-realistic appearances for humanoid robots using 3D modeling.

Sculptor and 3D-modeler Pyotr Chegodaev, who runs the department, said he believed that progress in this fast-growing field requires a combination of art and technology.

"In general, I plan to make a 3D modeling training center, where we have a laboratory for development of artificial skin for our hyper-realistic robots, where we will make eyes, teeth – in general, this entire outer shell in order to bring aesthetics of sculpture and art into this rather rapidly developing market of humanoid robots. And the knowledge that we have should be combined with this technical, digital knowledge in order to make a qualitative leap in this direction. This is our plan. At the moment we are focused on Alexei's elaboration. The technologies are all identical, if we make a high-quality eye, we can use it for all our other models.”

The company's robots have been deployed to government centers in Moscow as well as universities.

Chegodaev said the company has also signed new contracts in the U.S.

“We plan to have mass production of these technologies by the end of the year and we want to start producing the whole body, not only the head, but also to have a full torso and legs, and to make all this movable."

Service Promobots work in 40 countries around the world as administrators, consultants, guides, and concierges, replacing or supplementing human employees, according to the company’s website.

In 2019, Promobot V. 4 became an employee of the American College of North Carolina.