Thursday, July 04, 2024

Robots serving up coffee at Starbucks

I wonder if they expect a tip :) The details: Naver's autonomous wheeled "Rookie" robots navigate the building's 36 floors to bring packages, coffee, and lunch to employees. Rookie bots are assisted by dual-armed "Ambidex" robots, which are lightweight and dexterous for safer human interactions. Both robots connect to the company’s ARC system, which enables control of navigation, planning, and processing for the entire fleet through cloud computing. Naver also developed RoboPort, a dedicated elevator system that allows robots to move quickly and efficiently between floors. Why it matters: Naver’s putting its robots to work in the ‘real world’ — and while the location is just a testing ground for now, it’s also a glimpse into how service robotics will be integrated into the mainstream sooner than many expect.