The robot is a big hit on the Lisbon campus and is often surrounded by a crowd. Its stock of ingredients was depleted within two to three hours of its debut.
"The robot's popularity is beyond our expectations," said Jose Joao Mendes, president of the Portuguese institute. "It gives us greater confidence in expanding collaboration with Chinese partners in this field."
Cooperation between Chinese and Portuguese institutions has been promoted recently across various fields, from joint laboratories and academic programs to clinical practice and professional training.
Looking ahead, Han said the team hopes to introduce more advanced versions of the robot with expanded diagnostic capabilities to Portugal, with Portugal's regulatory approval, to make TCM more accessible and serve the public abroad more efficiently.