Singing waiter-robot with cat’s face being tested in Poznań restaurants
A multilingual, singing waiter-robot with the face of a cat is being tested out in restaurants in and around Poznań to great acclaim among staff and guests.
Named BellaBot, or Bella to its friends, the black and white robot waits for visitors at the entrance alongside a (live) waiter or waitress, greets the guests and escorts them to their table, then delivers their ordered dishes.
A camera installed in the robot’s head transmits 3D images and can stop in half a second when an obstacle such as a chair is moved by one of the guests.
A camera installed in the robot’s head transmits 3D images and can stop in half a second when an obstacle such as a chair is moved by one of the guests.
It can deliver eight plates to a table at a time and has 12 hours of uninterrupted work capacity on a single battery charge.
It can deliver eight plates to a table at a time and has 12 hours of uninterrupted work capacity on a single battery charge.
Angela Długosz from Abiline Polska which produces the robot said: “For now, we have one robot, which we are testing in its natural environment, that is in restaurants, and soon also in a pub.
“It has aroused great interest among our guests.”
It can also host a birthday party, carrying a cake and singing Happy Birthday.
Laura Cybulska, manager of the Słoń restaurant in Poznań’s City Park where the robot is being tested said: “The robot acts as a waiter's assistant, is an escort for him or her when it shows people to their table and then delivers the ordered dishes.
“It does not collect orders, but the guests react very positively to him, and even come especially to see it in action.”
Bella speaks several languages and since it has a stylised cat's head, children are eager to scratch its ears.
Angela Długosz from Abiline Polska which produces the robot said: “For now, we have one robot, which we are testing in its natural environment, that is in restaurants, and soon also in a pub.”
It can also host a birthday party, carrying a cake and singing Happy Birthday.
Although the BellaBot has already appeared in other countries, its distributor says the robot is being tested for a week in various places.
But it added that eateries interested in buying a Bella must wait a year to get one as the demand is so high.
