A local company selling robots suggests a brave new world of ordering and enjoying our food.
As we stand on the edge of tomorrow, the future of technological innovation seems to know no limits. We are at a point where the utopian depictions of science fiction are becoming a reality, with incredible technology revolutionising every sector of our lives … It’s not the opening lines of a new sci-fi movie, but a press release spiel from G Robotics, a local distributor of delivery robots.
The company came into being in 2021 at the height of the pandemic, where staff shortages and social distancing rules lead to the trial of delivery robots in restaurants. The company says their vision is to enhance the service industry and increase productivity by freeing up valuable staff time from mundane, time-consuming tasks that can be automated.
Automation is already used to increase efficiency and lower cost in a variety of ways in the food sector from production to retail logistics. So why not the restaurant industry, using robots are designed to work in restaurants, delivering food directly to customers’ tables.
As the hospitality sector grapples with the the pandemic’s ongoing effects, there have been plenty of cases across New Zealand where restaurants have needed to close for a day or two, due to a lack of staff. G Robotics says food delivery robots can help restaurants sidestep this issue almost entirely, providing a reliable team to keep running, no matter how low your staff numbers may get.
Robotic food service isn’t only an efficient solution, says the company, it’s also a creative idea that assists in marketing and spreading your brand awareness via word of mouth. Social media is the modern-day equivalent of the billboard, and robotic servers are sure to bring in those elusive foodie influencers.
BellaBot is the company’s latest model food delivery robot and it – they? – come with the promise to completely revolutionise running a restaurant. Designed by Pudu, BellaBot can be mapped to virtually any restaurant floor, allowing it to self-navigate through the premises with incredible precision. Equipped with 3 RGBD cameras, DualSlam and Omnidirectional avoidance, the BellaBot can autonomously avoid both stationary and moving objects.
Which is a handy feature, because being driven over by a maniacle tray bearing robot on wheels doesn’t sound like a good time for clientele.
Evidently BellaBot features a host of features that allow customers to interact with the robot, with an LED display that emotes when interacting with customers as well as a sensor on top of the unit to register a touch. “These features not only increase the functionality of the BellaBot but add a novel experience for customers, ensuring that they are sure to talk about their experience long after they have left the premises” says the G Robotics.
So, how does it work?
BellaBot is designed to deliver food orders from the kitchen to customers’ tables. Once an order is placed, the robot will navigate to the kitchen and collect the food. It will then make its way to the customer’s table, avoiding any obstacles in its path. Once the food is delivered, the BellaBot will return to the kitchen to collect the next order.
Here’s an example of BellaBot serving customers at a Pizza Hut in Poland.
This system has a number of advantages over traditional methods of food delivery. First, it frees up employees to focus on other tasks, such as preparing food or cleaning up. Second, it eliminates the need for extensive training for food delivery staff. Third, it provides a more efficient and consistent delivery service, as the robots never get tired and can work for long hours without breaks. The Bellabot is able to run for 12-24 hours with one charge and features a removable battery for even further extended periods of service. Finally, it’s much more cost-effective in the long run as the cost to lease a Bellabot is significantly less than the daily wage of a service worker.
With four trays each with a 10kg capacity, Bellabot has a combined delivery capacity of 40kg. It can use its independent suspension and a 0.5-second reaction time to smoothly and safely deliver customers’ food. But what happens when the Bellabot doesn’t have food to deliver? It also features a cruise mode, in which it automatically makes its way around the restaurant, ready to be called upon by any customers that may be after additional service.
Alternatively, there are G Robotics’s lower-cost robot alternatives PaduBot, HolaBot and KettyBot, ensuring that there is a food delivery robot perfectly suited for your needs.
