Technical touch: Vietnamese coffee house employs robot waiter

This coffee shop in Hanoi has drawn attention for employing a robot waiter, making it the first place in Vietnam to apply this technology.

Quoc Phi, the café’s owner, said he and a group of engineers worked together to build the robot.

Mortar, as the robot is called, stands 1.3 meters (3.3-9.8f feet) high and weighs 20 kilograms (12.4 lbs). "He" can work for 16 hours straight if fully charged.

After customers place their orders, a member of staff puts the drinks on Mortar's tray, taps the table number and lets the robot get on with the job.

A magnetic sensor equipped inside its body allows Mortar to follow a line drawn on the floor to the selected table.

The robot, costing VND200 million ($8,800), can say “Hello", “Thank you”", ask customers to take their drinks or to step aside when they block its way.

The team at the shop on Lac Trung Street, Hai Ba Trung District, said they plan to upgrade their robot to make it move smoother and communicate better with customers.