Japanese company Softbank is trialling a new food service robot called Servi, which is set to change the dining experience for customers across the globe.

Servi, which will be officially launched in Japan in January, solves two current problems – social distancing due to COVID-19 and restaurant labour shortages.

Featuring several tiers, Servi will act as a waiter, able to carry food and drinks from the kitchen to tables.

It uses 3D cameras and LIDAR technology to navigate around tables and customers, the same technology used by autonomous vehicles.

When Servi launches, companies can lease the robot for $US950 per month over a three-year period.

Can be controlled by an external tablet

It’s made by Bear Robotics in California, which also produced a Servi Mini for serving drinks.

The full-size Servi has two trays and a bus tub, while the Servi Mini has one tray and one tub. Both can be controlled by an attached touchscreen or external tablet.

Earlier this year, Bear Robotics raised $US32 million in a funding round led by Softbank.

Softbank has a history of investing in robotics startups, like Boston Dynamics, the company behind the infamous dog-like robots that went on sale this summer.

Softbank’s most famous humanoid robot, Pepper, has also been used throughout the pandemic as a greeter and to ease loneliness among mild COVID-19 cases in Japan.

Versions of the robot are also helping customers remain a safe distance apart in German grocery stores, while its Whiz cleaning vacuum robot has been used in hotels and other sites.

Source: Business Insider