Robotics revolution leads Hebei's innovation push

From intelligent mining to firefighting, machines gain wider acceptance in industries

Residents perform a dragon dance at a square in Yuxian county of Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, on Feb 1. (MA SHENGLI/FOR CHINA DAILY)

Welcome to the restaurant of the future. In an eatery in Tangshan, Hebei province, a staff member taps on a screen to confirm the order — muxurou — and then places the preprepared ingredients of eggs, pork and wood-ear mushrooms into their designated slots. A robot chef gets to work swiftly and silently and within a couple of minutes, a steaming plate of the classic stir-fry is ready.

"This is the future of dining, where technology meets tradition in the most delicious way," said Wang Chengyong, general manager of Gaoshan Hebei Intelligent Technology Co, the seller of the robotic chefs.

The robots are capable of preparing over 1,000 recipes from eight major Chinese cuisines as well as regional specialties, Wang said.

After tasting the muxurou — pork fried with black wood-ear mushrooms, cucumber and scrambled eggs — a diner at the restaurant commented: "It tastes great. I can't even tell it was cooked by a robot. The only thing is, it's a bit too salty for me."

"Next time, we can adjust the seasoning," Wang promised, adding that the amount of seasoning dispensed can be customized to suit individual tastes.

"This is more convenient, faster and reassuring than ordering takeout," said Wang, adding that these robots will not only be used in restaurants in the future, but can also be helpful in public places like vending machines.

The cooking robot is just one of the many kinds of robots being manufactured or used in Tangshan. In the city's Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone, there are 200 robot-related companies in operation, making it the most concentrated area for the robotics industry in the northern province.

"We have established a robot industry cluster, integrating research and development, production and services into one cohesive unit," said Dong Xuezhong, director of the Management Committee of the Tangshan Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone.