The Australian hospitality industry is bouncing back from forced closures and restrictions throughout the pandemic, but now it has to redefine itself in the face of a human resources crunch, SoftBank Robotics Group Corp.
SBR has today announced the launch of the tray delivery robot, Keenbot. Supplied by GERMii Australia, Keenbot is now available in Australia – and is set to address staffing issues and help revitalise the service industry. GERMii Australia is working closely with customers across the hospitality industry to help fill service gaps and keep the smile on customers’ faces. Keenbot, by KEENON Robotics, is a tray serving robot designed to automate food service.
It is intended for use in tandem with human capabilities, giving businesses a helping hand in delivering efficient and consistent customer service. Equipped with multi-point delivery modes, Keenbot can provide four dishes at one time. Its maximum tray loading capacity takes the weight off human wait staff, freeing them up to manage other tasks and focus on serving customers. In a successful a pre-launch trial, Softbank Robotics partner, GERMii Australia, deployed Keenbot at the Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park, which is already proving an invaluable addition to the team.
Joe Poovaiya, Director of Food and Beverage, Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park, says, The service industry, particularly the FB sector, is only just getting back on its feet following the pandemic and is now facing a new challenge of skills shortage. We have been using robotic technology and solutions in our business to increase our productivity, and now we have introduced Keenbot to our customer-facing food service operations.
At first, it was quite a novelty, but staff and customers have quickly adapted and welcomed Keenbot. We do not expect these cobots to replace the total human element in our service, but rather, we hope for these cobots to complement further and enhance our service efficiency. With self-developed indoor navigation technology for absolute accuracy, Keenbot can map delivery routes to use the shortest path, even in busy, complex scenarios, ensuring that dishes are delivered fast and fresh.
Inbuilt shock absorbers and a real-time collision detection sensor help Keenbot avoid obstacles and unexpected situations, reducing the risk of trips, bumps and spills often faced by waiters during peak hours. Keenbot has a cruise delivery mode making it convenient for customers to take meals from the tray themselves, and with auto-charge functionality, this server can operate twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, ideal for filling gaps in the roster or covering extra break times during a busy shift.
Kenichi Yoshida, Chief Business Officer, SoftBank Robotics Group Corp., said we are all about leveraging the technologies to create better solutions at SoftBank Robotics. We are excited to introduce Keenbot in Australia to help support the hospitality industry as it refreshes the service sector with innovative solutions that will increase restaurants’ efficiency in customer service and deliver new experiences to their diners. We believe the hospitality industry is set to unlock new potential in using AI, robotics and automation to accelerate the service standard.
Derren Wong, Head of Sales, KEENON Robotics, Australia adds At KEENON, we offer a wide range of products and automation solutions to meet various business needs.
Written by: Jill Walsh
