This robot is handling room deliveries at this hotel in Singapore.
And it's recently been joined by another robot on staff too.
So is this the takeover when robots replace all human personnel?
Not so fast.
The robot's work isn't exactly flawless... yet.
So here's how it works.
The robot, AURA, sits comfortably in the lobby where it charges and waits for assignments.
I place a call to the hotel staff and ask for some items.
Hi, good afternoon. M Social reception. Fiqah speaking, how may I assist you?
Could I please have a toothbrush and a towel?
Sure, are you okay, sir? Do you need any water?
Yeah, water would be great too, actually, thanks.
Okay, I'll send it up using our robot, AURA.
Thank you, goodbye.
The hotel staff then summons AURA to the desk to receive the items.
AURA then gets her room assignment, and she's on her way with the delivery.
She's programmed to wirelessly call for an elevator and apparently she has a preferred elevator that she likes.
When we visited, AURA was a bit shy and refused to share the elevator with hotel guests.
The elevator door closed without her, but then it didn't begin moving.
Perhaps AURA was requesting it wirelessly?
So, the guests eventually got out and AURA had it her way and got in the elevator.
It may sound like a simple enough task, but an elevator can be a very
challenging environment for robots. They have to act quickly and safely.
And AURA was even engineered to turn around and face the front while riding an elevator.
Hey, that's what humans do too!
On her way down the hall toward my room, she got distracted with a housekeeping cart,
and well, I'll never know what was going through her head.
She made it to my room.
AURA doesn't knock on the doors, but instead calls the phone in the room when she's arrived.
*Ringing*
Hello! Your delivery has arrived. Our robot is waiting outside your door.
Let's check it out.
A towel.
Water.
And a toothbrush.
Thank you, AURA.
Yay! She says yay.
So she doesn't actually talk, but she has a screen.
She delivered my items with a smile, then had a think about where she was going to go afterwards
before eventually making her way back to her charging station.
The hotel has mapped out the floors and the layout to help her understand
where to move and how to recognize other people, objects and obstructions.
Currently, she's limited to delivering things like towels, bottled water and toothbrushes.
But eventually could be trained to handle food deliveries as well.
The hotel tells me that AURA alone is taking care of about 70 percent
of the room deliveries, freeing up the staff for other tasks.
Also, AURA isn't the only robot working at this hotel.
This is AUSCA.
He works in the restaurant as the omelette chef.
AUSCA works at the egg station, offering up two options, sunny side or omelete.
Could you go easy on the oil?
No? Okay.
I would love an omelete with spinach and tomatoes, maybe some cheese.
But that might be a bit above its pay grade.
At least for now, that is.
Thanks AUSCA.
He doesn't really like custom orders.