Robotics for Hoteliers

ROBOTICS FOR HOTELIERS

This article is an excerpt from the book "HOTEL 4.0 - Artificial intelligence, robotics, big data, virtual reality, 5G and automation technologies for a new generation of smarter hotels". Contents: 1 Definition; 2.0 Operation; 3.0 The Uncanny Valley; 4.0 Classification; 5.0 Implementation; 5.1 Benefits of implementation; 5.2 Disadvantages of implementation; 6.0 Applications; 6.1 Front of house; 6.2 Room service; 6.3 Restaurant service; 6.4 Robots behind the bar; 6.5 Robots in the kitchen; 6.6 Back of house.

1.0 Definition

A robot can be defined as a "programmable automatic machine capable of performing certain operations autonomously," which can also be equipped with sensors that allow it to perceive the surrounding environment and adapt to new situations.

The human desire to create autonomous machines is not new. The first references date back to 350 BC with Talos, giant mythical bronze automata created by Hephaistos to protect the Phoenician princess Europa on the island of Crete, and other successive attempts did not cease. As proof of this, we have a multitude of writings in quite different cultures over the centuries.

Almost every time I talk about robotics with colleagues, co-workers, or friends, I find a common denominator to discuss the implementation of robots from the perspective of the traditional human resources organisation. However, robots are not human beings, nor will they ever be. The way they perceive, analyse and act is different, and therefore we cannot expect them to do the same things in the same way as a human employee would do. If that is the premise, then we have failed before we have even started.

What do industry professionals think? In January and February 2020, I conducted a series of forty-three questionnaires and interviews among hotel industry professionals and obtained the following results: Over the five-year time horizon, 51% consider the presence of robots collaborating with humans to be likely and 37% highly likely. 49% felt that the back of the house represented the most suitable work area for robot activation, and 19% believed this to be the front office. About food and beverage, only 9% consider food production or food service as the most suitable area for implementation, while 14% consider room service as the most appropriate area for implementation.

What do our customers think? 41% say that using robots for housekeeping would improve the customer experience, and 22% would visit hotels more regularly if offered this service (Oracle, Hotel 2025). 33% say that using robots for tasks such as for greeting and service would improve their customer experience. 22% would be willing to visit hotels offering this service more often (Oracle, Hotel 2025).

Implementing robots requires a thorough analysis of our operations and the tasks performed within them, then designing new task assignments and reorganising workflows to integrate robots as naturally as possible.

2.0 Operation

A robot is essentially a container of interconnected tools that act together, and it is vital to understand some basic principles about how they work.

Sensing the Environment:?Robots use sensors, such as LIDAR, RADAR, video cameras, servo motors, accelerometers and GPS, amongst others, to perceive the surrounding environment. For example, if you had a robot whose main task was to fry potatoes, it would be opportune to equip it with a thermal camera to monitor the temperature of the potatoes and the oil. The robot senses data, processes it and converts it into helpful information to make decisions based on its programming.

Reasoning and Planning:?Based on their programming and with the data collected by the sensors, robots make decisions to carry out their goals. Our robot will keep the potatoes in the oil long enough to reach the "target" temperature at which the potatoes will be fried just right. Alternatively, the robot might decide not to immerse the potatoes in the oil until the oil has reached the optimal temperature.

Acting:?A robot acts on the physical world through executors such as motors, pneumatic actuators and close grippers, etc. Thus, a robot’s basic cycle of operation goes through three states of receiving information, managing it, and acting on it to achieve a goal for which it was programmed.

3.0 The Uncanny Valley

Let us ask ourselves a question: Should a robot look like a human being? If so, how much should it resemble one? That does not seem to be a problem for industrial robots, but could it be a problem for human-contact service robots? How important is a robot's appearance? The answer is that appearance matters a lot.

Professor Masahiro Mori proposed the "Uncanny Valley"?concept in 1970 and describes how robots become more attractive as they adopt more anthropomorphic features.

This phenomenon continues until it reaches a turning point called the "Uncanny Valley." At this point, the robot reaches an extremely high degree of resemblance to a human being without actually becoming one. It is here that our feelings begin to change and mutate into unease and even fear.

I have had the opportunity to see different bartender robots and runner robots in action. I consider a robot simply to be a robot, and in many cases, it is not necessary for them to resemble human beings at all. We live in a technological society, where the design of objects has value. For example, modern smartphones look nothing like the phones we once had at home, nor do they need to.

Two outstanding examples of robot design in the restaurant industry are the bartenders at Estonia’s YANU and the robot runners at Bear Robotics. Both produce quality, functional and enviably designed robot empowered bartending units that do not need to look like humans.

Obviously, in other cases, such as that of social robots - think Connie, the Hilton?Concierge?robot - the anthropomorphic form can be a clear advantage to connect with the guest.

4.0 Classification

To better understand robotics applied to the hospitality sector, we must first classify the main types of robots by their function. In this case, we have two macro-categories:

Industrial Robots:?Used in industrial production, a paradigmatic example would be those robots found in automobile factories, which are already almost totally automated in some cases. This type of robot is widespread, and its use is more than generalised.

Service robots:?As their name suggests, these are robots intended for services. We can differentiate between those for domestic use, such as small robot vacuum cleaners and pet robots, etc., and those for professional use, which include robots for the hotel and catering industry, such as barbets, robot chefs, and robots for the medical sector, to name but a few examples.

5.0 Implementation

5.1 Benefits of implementation

How helpful can robots be? There are both pros and cons to their use. On the one hand, they have the following advantages:

Accuracy:?machines that will execute specific instructions. Their precision will depend on the instructions' quality and the instruments (hardware) to execute them. Apart from this, the degree of accuracy they can achieve is at a level unattainable by humans.

Consistency:?a robot has no feelings and, therefore, will never feel frustrated if its programmed task is, for example, to cut carrots eight hours a day continuously. This is especially useful in repetitive, low value-added alienating jobs, resulting in high frustration levels for human employees.

Quality control:?while the robot is operating, it is also collecting data from the process. This is objective data and not mere opinions or subjective impressions. This data can be invaluable to the quality control process and product improvement.

Safety:?in a double sense: on the one hand, robots can perform jobs that are dangerous for humans. On the other hand, they can help increase safety levels, for example, food safety. A robot can work in temperature or atmosphere-controlled conditions, ensuring the highest quality of food, which would present impossible working conditions for a human chef.

5.2 Disadvantages of implementation

On the other hand, there are drawbacks, and some of them can make it impossible, hinder or even ruin a robotic implementation strategy. The main drawbacks are listed as follows:

Cost:?these are not cheap machines, and the cost of a robot runner can, in some cases, exceed $10,000; in the case of more complex devices, such as a fully automated bar, the total cost can reach $150,000. Many producers are now turning to formulas such as RaaS (Robots as a Service) to make their products more attractive to future customers. In this case, a robot runner could cost around $300 per month, which automatically makes it a much more exciting alternative.

Corporate culture:?Generally, the enemy is at home, and there is no point in acquiring any technology if it is not going to be used 100%. The first step to achieve this would always be to eliminate possible internal resistance through training and awareness of the use of these innovations and their positive impact on operations, quality of work and customer satisfaction.

Flexibility and improvisation:?As mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, a robot is not a human being, and although the application of AI is making significant progress, robots are not capable of improvisation, nor are they characterised by flexibility.

Architectural barriers:?In the case of robots with mobile capabilities such as runner robots, we must consider architectural barriers such as stairs and other obstacles that may impede their correct operation.

Maintenance:?some of the robots on the market, such as those based on hardware from ABB, Universal Robots, Kuka, and other high-end manufacturers, are of industrial quality, but in other cases, maintenance is a point to keep in mind and can become a significant drawback.

Safety:?robots in the hotel and catering industry work in contact with human beings, so they have to ensure the safety and security of the latter. This requires precise standards and procedures regarding labour risk prevention and an investment in training for our employees.

Robots are no different from other machines because the result we get from them depends mainly on how we use them.

6.0 Applications

It is not easy to make accurate forecasts about possible robotics developments in the sector but let's try to list some of those currently being carried out by commercial robots. Commercial robots are essential since we are not talking about projects, prototypes or experimental robots, but robots already available on the market.

6.1 Front of house

The role of the concierge is one of the first where we have seen the activation of robots. Examples such as Marriott's Mario or Hilton's Connie are just two to mention. They are a clear example of how even the big names in the hotel industry have initially opted to use concierge robots — probably encouraged by the surprise factor and their role as entertainers. We could consider them as an extension of virtual assistants in the physical world to use a metaphor. Their operability is intricately linked to the development of AI in this field.

Depending on their technical development and programming level, the concierges can provide basic information about the hotel, such as restaurant opening hours, to assist the customer in booking a table or tickets for an event or calling a taxi. Also, Artificial Intelligence allows them to improve their responsiveness with each conversation and collect data on customer tastes and preferences to improve the quality of service.

This type of technology is also used in restaurants, using robots, for example, at Tanuki Dubai, the Miami restaurant chain which employs a robot as a receptionist. In this case, as in many others, the robot is not just a tool used to carry out a specific task but serves as a real attraction and lure for visitors.

6.2 Room service

Tasks such as room service, as in the concierge case, where robots have made the most rapid inroads, have been mechanised at the hands of large international chains. Starwood was a pioneer when in 2014, it activated Savioke’s "Botlr" robot at the Cupertino hotel in Silicon Valley. This specialised company has produced robots of this type in other hotel chains such as IHG with its robot called Dash at the Crowne Plaza, also in Silicon Valley.

These robots allow for greater efficiency in-room service, and by using them as extra support, humans can focus more on higher value-added tasks for the customer.

6.3 Restaurant service?

A professional waiter is much more than someone who takes a customer’s order and serves a dish. A true Chef de Rang is a salesman, a public relations person and the visible face of the restaurant all rolled into one. Even the best Chef de Cuisine can never achieve total customer satisfaction if the service is not good. Unfortunately, the strategic value of floor service staff has been alarmingly underestimated in many cases.

Consider when a waiter spends time doing secondary, low value-added tasks such as taking dishes from the kitchen to the dining room and vice versa. In many cases, the restaurant will have runners, but this will not be the case in many others, probably the majority.

Herein lies the great value of the activation of robot-runners in front-of-house operations. The robot can fully absorb the tasks of transporting dishes, wine bottles, cutlery, crystal glasses and dirty plates, as an example. This would allow the Rang Chef to spend most of his time on direct customer service, with the resulting positive return in the form of customer satisfaction and potential sales.

On the other hand, we find restaurant formats such as QSRs (Quick Service Restaurants), where almost the entire service cycle from ordering, service, production and payment can be potentially automated through a combination of technologies such as robots AI and self-service kiosks. An example of this full automation is the new test store opened by the KFC chain in Moscow.

6.4 Robots behind the bar

Robotics has arrived behind the bar. A generation of robot bartenders and baristas have appeared in settings as diverse as cruise ships, nightclubs in Milan or Dubai, and coffee shops in San Francisco.

The use of robotics presents several advantages, such as better prepared recipes, precise ingredient control, and service consistency. Undoubtedly, the implementation of robotics had a massive influence on the nightlife scene because of the WOW factor.

MakrShakr, one of the pioneering companies in the sector. Today their robots cross the oceans with Royal Caribbean and have been activated in world-class destinations such as Dubai and? Milan. By the time of writing this book, their ingenuity was already capable of producing two drinks every 60 seconds and over a thousand cocktails in an entire day.

6.5 Robots in the kitchen

Robotics in food production is the crowning achievement in restaurant trade robotics. My interest in this topic started in 2015 when I was working in London and heard about MOLEY Robotics, a company developing the world's first robotic kitchen. MOLEY's kitchen was intended for private customers and not for professionals, but I immediately started seeing its possible applications in the restaurant industry.

Since then, much has happened, and now we have giants like Samsung or LG with their CLOi Chef- bot, developing technologies to automate kitchens in restaurants and hotels.

We may ask why kitchen robotisation is becoming so important. Effective automation, whether full or partial, of the food production process in hotels and restaurants would have noticeable and positive results as shown here below:

Food safety:?a robot does not have the physical limitations of a biological being, it does not need to breathe, and the operating temperature range is wider. This makes it possible to work in a modified atmosphere or in temperature-controlled conditions that are unsuitable for humans while ensuring greater food safety.

Consistency in quality:?a robot will never doubt or criticise the choices made by your Chef. It will only prepare the recipes, ensuring total consistency in the implementation of tasks and presentation of the product.

Cost control:?precision is synonymous with optimal control of raw material costs. It is much easier to establish the actual cost and monitor the use of ingredients. It would also have a clear impact on controlling labour costs and those linked to wages and staff turnover.

Productivity:?not exactly a question of speed as most kitchen robots are currently no faster than a well-trained chef, but they can work 24 hours a day, never get bored and work at a constant, predictable pace, which allows them to organise workflows more precisely.

Innovation:?robots cannot innovate. On the other hand, people create new recipes, new dishes and experiment with new ingredients. By relieving staff of the burden and responsibility of some physical tasks, they will undoubtedly have more time to focus on product development.

Today, we are witnessing an expanding universe of large and small companies approaching the issue of kitchen robotisation from hugely different perspectives.

We can also find solutions based on the use of robotic arms. Equipped with different sensors and tools, they can work either alone or together, depending on the need. In most cases, they are highly efficient in doing specific tasks such as frying or grilling. Still, they must work together with other robotic arms or in collaboration with humans for the more complex tasks. A good example is the robotic arms that grill, fry or bake, such as Flippy, a robot created by Miso Robotics explicitly designed for tasks such as frying or grilling.

The last major group, namely robotic kitchens, encompasses kitchens designed to automate the entire process at 360 degrees but are generally built around a specific concept and product, as in the robotics restaurant Spyce, founded in Boston in 2015 or Creator’s fresh burger bar in San Francisco.

Recently, however, a new generation of projects have emerged. These exponents, such as ROBOEATZ and Bowlton, allow for greater adaptability and complete automation by proposing fully automated "kitchens" with a modular approach.

While developing chef-bots for automated kitchens is a coveted goal, there are many difficulties, the main one being flexibility. Of course, that cannot be an issue in fast-food establishments, where product customisation is very limited or practically non-existent. However, it will be in fine dining contexts, and a chef must act on countless slight variations in the preparation of recipes, sometimes regarding the quality of the ingredients and sometimes to satisfy individual tastes or customers with specific allergies.

Therefore, the efficient use of kitchen robotics will depend on the correct planning of the operations and use of the robots. Herein lies what I consider to be one of the major stumbling blocks: the planning and training of the personnel working with these new tools. The human factor in the correct planning and collaboration will be a decisive one.

6.6 Back of house

The "Back of House" in a hotel comprises all those operations, which, albeit essential, remain hidden from the guests' eyes. In a society where most content is visual, everything we do not see appears not to exist. Tasks such as cleaning and luggage transport, among others, are the ugly duckling of hotel robotics from a media point of view, and yet they probably hold the most significant business potential in the short term.

What do industry professionals think? Most operators consider room cleaning as a highly likely application of hotel robotics (Oracle, Hotel 2025).

BOH operations have great advantages for automation. However, although they are fundamental to any hotel establishment, their operation is far from the customer's focus, and they are often 3D (dirty, dangerous, and demeaning) jobs.

Part of the stewarding, cleaning, logistics and handling tasks can be partially automated with the consequent advantages of increased quality of work for our employees, efficiency and cost control.

Dishcraft, for example, already offers automated dishwashing services. Another good example is the Italian company MAINIT, which can automate the washing of cutlery, folding napkins, and preparing sets for service. MAINIT can virtually automate any BOH task on demand. This process might seem irrelevant for small establishments. However, they can be pretty valuable if you think on a big scale—a cruise ship, perhaps.

The same could be said of logistics. The transport service for laundry or room linen may not seem a priority. However, from the point of view of megastructures and large resorts, it can be a crucial contribution to improving operations. Mobile robot companies like Aethon are already working with big names in the hotel industry, such as Sheraton, with versatile products oriented to transport and internal handling.

*** This article is an extract from the book "HOTEL 4.0?- Artificial intelligence, robotics, big data, virtual reality, 5G and automation technologies for a new generation of smarter hotels". You can consult the book or contact me personally for more information on the subject or the sources I have used.