Tech firm eyes Prince George office after first B.C. robot show

“This is the platform. You can do program on that. You can input data. Today, they can play kung fu,” Dng said.

Dng said most attention in the field has gone to whether a humanoid robot can walk. He said his company is focused on what the robot does once it’s on its feet, adding more functions on top of basic movement — including, eventually, tasks like writing or helping with homework.

The bigger opportunity, he said, is industrial.

“PG is the most important Interior city in the whole B.C. A lot of the industry here, like lumber,” Dng said. “If anyone wants to use the robot to help them do some dangerous job, we can help them find the solution.”

Dng said the company came to Prince George specifically because of that industrial base. He said the goal is to work with local operations on hazardous or repetitive tasks, and that people who came to the demonstration could speak with the company directly.

He said more shows are planned in Prince George and in other cities.

Founder Helen Hong said the technology only works if it’s built around what industry actually needs — and that means talking to the people already doing the job.

“So I think it’s all about needs,” Hong said. “When you say lumber, when you say forest, I think we need to know what is needed. The pinpoint, or the needs, first.”

Hong said the people best placed to identify those needs are not software developers.

“The expert is not the programmer. The technician is the one that is in the industry,” she said. “They know exactly what is needed.”

Hong described her role as a connector between industry and the technology.

“We will bring communication, know their needs first,” she said. “We hope to get the industry and the factory and the technician, engineer. That’s what I’m saying. I’m the bridge.”

The company’s office is currently in Vancouver. Hong said GoGlobal AI Tech is planning to open a second office in Prince George.

“Our office is in Vancouver, but we are planning to have one here because we think PG is an important city in B.C., as the main big city in northern B.C.,” Hong said.

Hong pointed to economic change in the region as part of the reason for the move. She acknowledged losses in the local paper industry, but said she expects growth ahead.

“The paper industry is done, but it’s going to have some more things booming. I believe this in PG,” she said. “So we love to bring certain technology, certain new things.”

Hong said the company wants to bring technology developed in Vancouver, in China and elsewhere to Prince George industry.

Dng said the Prince George event was the first of its kind the company has held in the province, and that more demonstrations are expected.

by Dave Branco

Tech firm eyes Prince George office after first B.C. robot show

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