Chennai Airport takes next step in aviation, deploys robots to greet you

Two new staff members have been added to the Chennai Airport's domestic and international terminals. These members of the staff are not like the ones whom we regularly encounter in our airport visits. These are humanoid robots who are responsible for assisting and guiding passengers inside the terminal. They are named, what else, but 'Mitra'.

You will find them at the departure and arrival halls of the Chennai domestic terminal. According to a report by The Hindu, they greeted and interacted with the passengers on Independence Day this year. Two such bots were introduced on August 15 on a ‘trial’ basis, one each positioned at the Arrival and Departure sections in the domestic terminal.

“Humanoid Robots introduced on trial basis at Chennai Airport. The robot will provide info on Chennai Airport and its amenities,” the official Twitter handle of the Chennai airport, @aaichnairport, said.

Chennai Airport has introduced Humanoid Robots on a trial at the domestic and International terminal. These humanoids will provide information about amenities at the Airport and will also navigate, identify, greet passengers, converse and respond to queries. #ProvidingTheBest pic.twitter.com/fvoVHM9OhD

— Airports Authority of India (@AAI_Official) September 12, 2018

These autonomous bots can navigate on their own,identify and greet passengers and respond to “queries deciphering variances in accent” and converse with them, it added.

The Hindu report says that the officials from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) have confirmed addition of similar humanoid robots in the international terminal too after seeing the positive response from passengers. 

The benefits of bots is set to jet to other Indian airports too. Next in line is one in the north.  Reportedly, a similar robot named ‘RADA’ would soon be introduced at the Delhi airport.