Alibaba AI Labs is raising the stakes in trobotics industry with the announcement of launching service robots for the hospitality sector starting in October.

The technology that drives the Labs’ service robot is state-of-the-art, combining aluminum casing with multi-sensor data functionality and parallel computing for lightning quick responses. It also includes a semantic map, autonomous navigation system to identify obstacles, communication systems to control elevators, and identity verification via facial-recognition technology.

The robot’s height is less than one meter, while its walking speed reaches one meter per second. After a trial at a hotel, Alibaba A.I. Labs will assess its suitability for other areas, including hospitals, restaurants and office services.

According to the International Federation of Robotics, the global market for service robots are on the rise. The market is expected to grow from 20% to 25% from 2018 to 2020, while the sales forecast 2018-2020 indicates a cumulative volume of around 27 billion U.S. dollars for the professional service segment.

Following the unveiling of the robot, Alibaba A.I. Labs also announced Tmall Genie Auto, the latest initiative in smart mobility and expanding the Tmall Genie ecosystem.