Technical touch: Vietnamese coffee house employs robot waiter

By Pham Huyen   December 14, 2017 | 11:38 pm PT
This café in Hanoi is following an emerging global trend in which more and more humans are being replaced by robots.
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This coffee shop in Hanoi has drawn attention for employing a robot waiter, making it the first place in Vietnam to apply this technology.

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

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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.

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

 
 
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