The Next Time You Order Room Service, It May Come by Robot (nytimes.com)

Hotels across the country are rushing to introduce robots with the promise of enhancing the guest experience and increasing efficiency. From a report: The automated companions can do everything from make and pick up deliveries to help guests find their way around. Aloft Cupertino in the Silicon Valley (rates from $150) was the first hotel in the United States to debut Savioke's Relay robot in 2014. The three foot tall autonomous robot, nicknamed Botlr, weighs 90 pounds and makes deliveries throughout the hotel using multiple sensors, 3D cameras and Wi-Fi to operate the elevators. Marriott has since begun mobile robot service at four other Aloft properties. Other hotels are following suit. H Hotel Los Angeles's Relay robot, named Hannah, made 610 front desk deliveries and 42 room service deliveries, traveling a total of 50 miles, in the first three months since the hotel opened last October (rates from $249).

Comments

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[PopeRatzo]

Will the room-service robot also have big fake breasts and pee on my bed? Asking for a friend.

I prefer human service myself

[Anonymous Coward]

For myself I just prefer to keep people working by having people perform even mundane services like pizza delivery or room service. I just think you have people who do these jobs for extra money, or a high school age kid getting a first job for spending money. I get everything is going robot for everything, but have we really thought this out?

Re:I prefer human service myself

[CaptainDork]

We have thought it out.

The quickest way for business to avoid cost is to decrease the workforce.

Wages, vacations, taxes, sick time, liabilities, 401(K), health benefits, sexual harassment ... poof ... all gone.

Your take that these are entry-level jobs is antiquated.

Heads of household are working several of these jobs to survive.

Re:I prefer human service myself

[unrtst]

This thing did 40 room service deliveries in 3 months. That's less than one every other day. It'll need to do far better before it can replace anyone.

It also did 610 front desk deliveries in that 3 months. That's still less than 7 a day.

I really hope there wasn't a 24x7 dedicated position doing that pre-robot. That would be a horrible use of resources. Just tell the chef to deliver his own food, since it's only once every other day, and have housekeeping someone else pick up the 7 other deliveries a day. This thing may slightly lighten the load, but I'm sure it still needs to be loaded up and told where to go... for 7 trips a day, that doesn't seem worth it.

IMO, that just confirms that it's only for the appearances.

Re:"Hotels are Rusing" !!!! For REAL!!

[xxxJonBoyxxx]

>> I'm a hotel manger

Have any virgins heavy with God's only son been by lately?

No Tips!

[Luthair]

Best part

I guess that's one way to solve gentrification

[rsilvergun]

eliminate the need for low wage employees. You don't need affordable housing and public services for them if you don't need them in a 100 mile radius.

Also, hadn't really thought just how rife for automation the Hotel industry is until now. Outside of the expensive ones where it's just for show I'll bet the only people on site in 10 years will be a few security guards to make sure nobody breaks in or sneaks too many of their friends into a room.

Not Sure this Makes The World A Better Place

[forkfail]

There is something to be said for work. Most of us may grumble about it from time to time. But the fact of the matter is that having useful work to do and work responsibilities, whether it be writing software or washing dishes, flipping burgers or being a full time parent, really does, as the old saying goes, build character.

Economically, I suspect that we'll probably wind up with some sort of BLS stipend, with laws limiting how much paid work one is allowed to do in those fields that aren't in one way or another automated out of existence. A few will find ways to game the system (as people always have) and rise to economic heights. People will still get fed, and there will still be roofs over heads.

But what do people do, who have no work? To be sure, some will have talents for music and art and such that will keep them engaged and working. But I doubt that this will be true for the majority of the population. So, what happens when the majority no longer has responsibility, nor is engaged in learning the life lessons that come from it? That, I think, will lead to some real ugliness.

I predict this service will continue

[Opportunist]

Well, at least 'til the first hacker conference is being held at the hotel. Then they'll probably shut down. Either the service or the hotel, depending on when they notice it...

Re:Not Sure this Makes The World A Better Place

[thesandtiger]

I agree and disagree.

Having useful stuff to do - that's important. I think that when a person feels like what they're doing - whatever it is - matters, they will find some fulfillment.

Having artificial responsibilities tied to a job? Not so much.

I find no value in responsibilities tied to work that may or may not be meaningful in any real way. I find zero value in responsibilities tied to an arbitrary job for an arbitrary entity - they are pointless constraints on my time, energy and freedom.

I do find value in responsibilities voluntarily tied to people or persons, where my unique self is of specific value to the people or persons I'm responsible to.

What do we do when people have no "work" responsibility? We hopefully teach people to care about other people, rather than just economic gain.