A robotic dog that would be deployed to deliver heavy loads including garbage is in a test run at the Taishan Mountain scenic area in Tai'an, East China's Shandong province.
The dog serves as a "porter" on Taishan Mountain, transporting goods uphill and reducing the need for human labor.
In 2023, Taishan Mountain scenic area saw a record 8.62 million visitors, producing almost 24,000 tons of waste annually, leading to increased difficulties and costs in garbage cleaning and transportation.
Due to the complex terrain of Taishan Mountain scenic area and the presence of only hiking trails, large-scale mechanized operations are not feasible, leading to manual garbage collection. During peak visitor hours, when hikers occupy all trails, trash is temporarily stored on the sides until a later concerted effort for collection, a long-standing challenge for the park.
Robotic dogs are introduced for waste collection tests at Taishan Mountain scenic area to improve transportation efficiency based on the latest technology and advanced practices from other locations.
The robotic dogs participating in the test are among the fastest and most advanced industrial-grade quadruped robots on the market. They boast strong obstacle-crossing capabilities, outstanding stability and balance, excellent load-bearing and endurance capacities, among other performance advantages.