The world's first humanoid robot to be issued a visa card
Sophia, the world's smartest female robot, was given an electronic visa by the Azerbaijan government as soon as she arrived at the airport.
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Sophia smiled as she arrived at the airport. Photo:Forbes. |
Sophia, a humanoid robot equipped with artificial intelligence, is on a world tour representing Hong Kong-based company Hanson Robotics and made an unscheduled stop in the Caucasus last week, according toForbes. The stop in the Caucasus marked the first time in the world that a robot was issued a visa card in a process that lasted just two minutes thanks to smart technology.
Sophia’s visit was organized by the government agency ASAN (Azerbaijani Service and Assessment Network). ASAN is working to reduce bureaucracy by setting up one-stop service centers to serve citizens. As a gesture of goodwill to Sophia, ASAN issued the robot an electronic visa upon its arrival at Baku International Airport.
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Sophia chats with President Ilham Aliyev. Photo: Forbes. |
At ASAN's one-stop center, people can register births, deaths, marriages or divorces, apply for passports, renew driver's licenses, register businesses, get free legal advice, get a medical examination number or use translation services. "Sophia is a perfect fit for ASAN. Electronics, both hardware and software, are at its core, and ASAN is also providing electronic services," said Ulvi Mehdiyev, head of ASAN.
Not only did ASAN attract attention when it granted a visa to its humanoid robot, it also became a bridge that helped Sophia meet and talk with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev when he attended the inauguration ceremony of ASAN's new complex. Sophia's structural frame includes a camera that looks for visual cues such as facial expressions to decide how to continue the conversation.