Robots ready to conquer the hospitality industry

Walk into the Henn na hotel in south-western Japan and you will be greeted by two robots, one that looks like a dinosaur and the other a female humanoid. The two will assist you to check in without ever having to interact with any human staff.
 
Robots are becoming increasingly popular in the hospitality industry. In Taiwan, a hotel has introduced self-check-in robots while several around the world have already employed luggage-managing robotic arms.
 
One robot that’s becoming increasingly popular in hotels is Relay, produced by the San Jose, California-based Savioke. Relay is the first of its kind, an autonomous robot that delivers items to hotel guests. It maneuvers through crowded hallways and uses the elevators alongside guests.

Speaking to asmag.com, Steve Cousins, CEO of Savioke, explained the key reasons for robots becoming popular in this industry.

“Robots excel at delivering consistent, repeatable service and automating tasks that are menial and repetitive,” said Cousins. “We’ve seen robots do things like assist with concierge services and carry luggage. Our robot is called Relay. Relay delivers items from the hotel staff to guest rooms. This allows staff to focus their time and attention on their guests.”

“Robots excel at delivering consistent, repeatable service and automating tasks that are menial and repetitive.”

-Steve Cousins, CEO, Savioke

Cousins pointed out that the major factor that’s driving demand for Relay is the keen interest from hoteliers to provide better service to their guests and thereby improve their business.  

“Relay does this in several ways,” Cousins said. “One, hotels with Relay are experiencing a measurable bump in scores on TripAdvisor and other review sites. Two, Relay-enabled hotels are finding that guests are booking and staying at their hotel specifically to experience the robot, and three, hotel staff can provide better guest service because Relay takes over the repetitive, menial tasks that used to distract or delay them.”

But how safe are such robots that work in close proximity with humans? Recently a mall-patrolling robot from the California-based company Knightscope ran over a toddler, prompting debates on the safety of being close to these machines.

In a recent interview with asmag.com, Edwin Lustig, Director of the Netherlands-based Robot Security Systems, which makes SAM, a security robot, had indicated that even though robots are smart, you can’t expect people to behave in ways that would be safe.

But Cousins stressed that Relay is equipped with the right technology to ensure maximum security. “At Savioke, we take safety very seriously and have incorporated both the Robotics Industry Association and NASA best practices in the safety analysis and implementation of our robots,” Cousins said. “We use multiple sensors to create a virtual bumper around the robot to avoid obstacles and added a robust, reliable physical bumper as well. Going one step further, we partnered with an independent safety assessment company to evaluate the physiological ramifications of impacts at different speeds.”

Cousins believes that robots like Relay will become a standard in the hotel industry in the near future.

“We believe that guests will look for robot services as they do hotels with other amenities, i.e. a luxury pool, premium bedding, or complimentary breakfast,” Cousins said. “And, as hotels strive to improve the customer experience, the staff will rely more and more on robots like Relay to take over redundant tasks, so they can be free to focus on needs of their guests.”

Image Source: Savioke