Don’t be shocked if a robot serves you the next time you eat out or go on vacation. LG is bringing its CLOi ServeBot to the US, offering hotels, restaurants and stores a semi-autonomous machine that can carry up to 66 pounds of food and other cargo in a busy space. While humans need to pre-program maps and set destinations, the bot can use a 3D camera, LiDAR and sensors to dodge people and detect when someone has removed an item from a tray.
Like other CLOi robots, ServeBot uses its 9.2-inch touchscreen to put on a friendly face for guests and receive information. It’s not fast at 2.2 MPH, but its 11 hours of continuous use should be enough for a long day at work.
This isn’t LG’s first robot to cross the US. The Korean tech company brought its UV-C disinfectant robot to the US in 2021. The timing may be right, though. American businesses are facing the combination of job shortages (particularly in service roles) and an evolving pandemic that increases the risk of waiting tables or running a hotel front desk. ServeBot will not completely replace human workers, but it can lessen the impact of joblessness and reduce the exposure of workers who often have to deal with the public.
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