Robot-Staffed Japanese Hotel Opens

jfruh writes: The front desk is staffed by a female android in a white tunic. The bellhop is a mechanical velociraptor. A giant robot arm put luggage into cubbyholes. It's the Henn-na Hotel in Nagasaki and it's opening this Friday, and it's a place where 'basically guests will see only robots, not humans,' according to general manager Masahiko Hayasaka.

Comments

Welcome!

[MagickalMyst]

Welcome our new robot overlords!

Recognition of need for medical care?

[golodh]

Supposing you get a heart attack. a stroke, or an acute appendicitis while at such a hotel.

Will there be any staff to notice that you're unwell and call an ambulance?

Re:Recognition of need for medical care?

[DerekLyons]

Will there be any staff to notice that you're unwell and call an ambulance?

Have you ever actually stayed at a hotel? Interaction with the human staff is already at a minimum (and has been for a long time - a hotel that constantly intrudes on the privacy of it's guests doesn't stay open long).... unless you keel over in a public space, there's pretty much already nobody to notice until housekeeping stops by.

It's next to an amusement park for a reason

[Demonoid-Penguin]

At first read I though it might be a new Love Hotel - many of which already have no visible human staff (the low-rent US equivalent is usually rented hourly and you'd be well advised to don a full-body condom before entering). The Japanese versions are clean and classy, though often a little cramped (sex is not something sinful, or to be ashamed of in Japan). If it was it might of backfired as discrete guests scamper from the hordes of invading geeks wielding video cameras and selfie sticks. An amusing image.

A better article is here.

Cheaper service AND less human employment

[rmdingler]

It's a common theme.

For those with no interest in human contact, the future is looking bright indeed.

Hell, I don't even like frequenting the stores with automated checkouts.

Re:What about the hookers?

[willoughby]

You won't be able to tell the difference, Doug. And that's guaranteed. Or your money back.

Re:One Year

[Shortguy881]

Judging from the article, it will take longer than that:

During a press preview Wednesday, the cloakroom robot seemed to develop a sore elbow, so to speak, two of the Nao robots took a tumble from their pedestals and it was hard to ignore the rubbery jerkiness of the android and dinosaur, developed by Kokoro, a group company of Hello Kitty licensing company Sanrio.

But it’s all part of the awkward theater of spending the night in what feels like a set for a sci-fi B movie, with human support staff in the background.

And with both highly specialized robots and a full support staff, I'd bet this route is more costly than having minimum wage workers.

Still, it wont be that far in the future before we are visiting hotels with humans as the staff as an "awkward theater" of how it was before robots replaced people in the service industry.

Re:One Year

[thrig]

Awkward theater? No'h!

Re:What about the hookers?

[Falos]

You have to show the receipt, erotic asphyxiation is waived.

I totally spelled that correct by accident.

LessThanObvious

[LessThanObvious]

You mean I can finally stop putting on pants for room service? Now that's luxury.