China deploys 'robot employees' in Beijing to patrol city parks, curb inappropriate behaviour

China has deployed 72 "robot employees" across Beijing's municipal parks this summer to perform a range of tasks, including cleaning, patrolling, guiding visitors, detecting pests and discouraging inappropriate behaviour, official media reported on Wednesday.

The robots have been assigned duties such as cleaning pathways, conducting patrols, providing guided tours, detecting pests and reminding visitors to follow park rules, the state-run Beijing Daily reported.

China has been expanding the use of robots across public services as part of its national "Robot Plus" strategy, driven by an ageing population, labour shortages and rapid advances in artificial intelligence.


The country's domestic service robot market exceeded USD 6 billion last year as AI-powered machines continue to reshape sectors ranging from healthcare and hospitality to sanitation and logistics.

At the Summer Palace, one of the capital's most visited tourist attractions, cleaning robots can begin operations within 30 seconds after sanitation workers define their operating areas and select cleaning modes through a mobile application.

Equipped with sensors, the robots perceive their surroundings in real time, with side brushes sweeping litter inward as they move along designated routes.

The machines are capable of edge cleaning and automatic water spraying, while adjusting cleaning intensity according to the amount of waste detected. They can also avoid pedestrians and vehicles autonomously.

The parks have also introduced intelligent tour-guide robots that provide explanations along pre-set routes, answer visitors' questions and remind them to maintain order.

Equipped with more than 10 high-precision artificial intelligence models, sensing radar and recognition cameras, the robots can identify behaviours such as smoking and issue voice reminders through pre-recorded messages, the state-run Global Times reported.

Zizhuyuan Park has deployed four types of "smart breathing" robots that simulate human exhaled carbon dioxide to attract and trap mosquitoes, helping reduce mosquito density in selected areas.

Xu Ziling, a staff member at Zizhuyuan Park, told the Global Times that the coordinated use of smart equipment, including mosquito-catching robots, was introduced in response to visitors' concerns about increased mosquito activity in grassy areas during the evenings.

"Especially during evenings when many children visit the park, compared with traditional mosquito traps, these devices can not only reduce the workload of frontline workers but also improve visitors' experience," Xu said.