AI-powered whale guide rolls out at Taiwanese museum in Ubitus and NMNS collaboration

1 Jul

Ubitus and the National Museum of Natural Science launch interactive, multilingual robot ‘Daohui’ to guide visitors through the Giant Unearthed whale fossil exhibit.

Cloud streaming and AI technology company Ubitus has partnered with Taiwan’s National Museum of Natural Science (NMNS) to deliver an AI-powered robotic tour guide for the newly opened Giant Unearthed – A Taiwan Whale’s Tale exhibition in Taichung.

The collaboration introduces a mobile robot named “Daohui,” which uses Ubitus’s cloud computing infrastructure and AI tools to deliver guided tours through the exhibit using voice-only interaction. The technology has been integrated into a wheeled robot platform and does not require handheld devices to operate.

Voice-led navigation and multilingual support

Daohui features natural language processing, multilingual speech capabilities in Taiwanese, Mandarin, English, and Japanese, and is designed to interact with visitors in real time. The robot is programmed to assist visitors in navigating the exhibit while explaining the evolutionary history of ancient whale fossils.

To accommodate different visitor preferences, Daohui operates in two separate modes. A Fixed Path Mode delivers a consistent scripted tour along a pre-set route, automatically returning to the reception point at the end. An Interactive Companion Mode enables time-limited conversational engagement with guests as they move through the exhibition.

Real-time AI with NVIDIA backing

Built in collaboration with NVIDIA, the system incorporates Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) to support real-time Q&A and indoor navigation. The robot is part of Ubitus’s broader AI product ecosystem, which includes tools for language modeling, image generation, and avatar creation.

Ubitus is also a member of the NVIDIA Connect program and has previously supported cloud gaming services for platforms such as Nintendo.

New exhibit highlights fossil discovery

The exhibition centers on the 2022 discovery of an 18-meter-long baleen whale fossil in Taiwan’s Hengchun Peninsula. It explores ecological, archaeological, and mythological themes surrounding whales and their significance in Taiwanese culture.

According to Ubitus, the new robot guide enriches the educational value of the exhibit by making the content more accessible and engaging for a broad audience.

The exhibition is now open at NMNS Exhibition Hall IV and will run until May 3, 2026.

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