Preparations for the Beijing Winter Olympics, which is about six days away from the opening, are steadily progressing, and robots can be seen in various places around the venue. Some are impressed with the subtle movements, while others are comical and eye-catching, although they may or may not be useful.

Main Media Center (MMC), a news gathering base in Beijing. The cafeteria is where the largest number of robots are operating. Robots serving food come and go through the aisles that stretch overhead. When you come to the customer who ordered, the tray is lowered and the food is delivered to you like a crane game. In the evening, a robot that makes cocktails operates. When you put the ingredients in a container, they shake and pour into a glass just like a bartender.

In the vast lobby, you'll come across a robot that mops the floor. Clean while avoiding passersby. I wonder if every corner can be cleaned, but there are many people involved who point the camera at it.

When you return to the hotel, you will be greeted by a robot that moves around the lobby and corridors and sprays disinfectant. If you are mean and stand in front of you, it is cute to change your course so that you do not make eye contact.

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Zhangjiakou district where skiing and snowboarding competitions are held. A coffee robo is installed at Taishijo Station, where the high-speed train from Beijing arrives. When the staff activates the robot with the remote control, two "arms" make paper drip coffee. The appearance of pulling beans and slowly pouring hot water in a circle is just like a barista.

"We have high-tech tools at all venues to prevent the transmission of the new coronavirus and dispose of waste. MMC's smart restaurants provide an exciting, efficient and contact-free dining experience," said the Games Organizing Committee. I will. "

However, at MMC's cafeteria, it seems that human staff make payments and replace the wrongly served dishes. Cleaning staff exceeds the number of robots. It is not completely "unmanned". (Takuya Isayama, Tsubasa Setoguchi)