(Yicai Global) Oct. 13 -- Eight drug-dispensing robots for hospitals, named Noah, have made their debut at Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center in China's southern province of Guangdong to transfer medicines, samples and surgical instruments, Guangzhou Daily reported yesterday.

A single 'Noah' can replace two to four human workers, save a nurse from 2,000 kilometers of walking each year and transfer up to 300 kilograms of cargo at a time. The trial hospital has eight robots at the moment.

Operators have to swipe their cards when putting in or taking out items, as the medicine cabinets carried by Noahs use coded locks.

At 1 meter high and 75 centimeters wide, the robots can travel at speeds of up to 4.3 kilometers an hour and cost CNY600,000 (USD91,000) to CNY700,000. They use GPS to navigate and can understand voice commands, but cannot speak itself.