Whatever you desire, Relay will deliver it to you. Need extra toothpaste or shampoo? Done. Maybe some coffee or a beer? No problem. And considering Savioke’s recent funding of $15 million, these robot butlers could be making their way to several more hotels in the coming year or so.
Curious about the company’s reasons for dedicating its resources in developing Relay, Serious Wonder spoke with Savioke’s CEO Steve Cousins, stating:
“All of us at Savioke are passionate about the idea of robots helping people. When we first looked at bringing our robot to market, the hospitality industry struck us as an ideal industry. Front desk personnel can always use an extra set of hands (or wheels, as the case may be), and guests are absolutely delighted by having a robot deliver items to their rooms. Our Relay robot has been working alongside people at some of our hotels for over 1.5 years. Perhaps the biggest implication is how quickly people become used to and comfortable working side by side with robots.”
– Steve Cousins, CEO of Savioke
FUTURE IMPLICATIONS
Room service robots are merely the beginning of this robotics revolution. Soon they’ll make their way out of the hotels and will be employed within your very own home. From cleaning, to garbage disposal, to cooking your food, robots will be there for you every step of the way. As they become more advanced, with an intelligence level similar to your average human, Relay-esque robots will be replaced by those similar to Andrew from Bicentennial Man or Sonny from I, Robot. They’ll have interactive, complex conversations with you. You’ll laugh; you’ll cry; you’ll fall in love. And who knows, someday there might not even be a difference between robots and humans.
Photo Credit: Savioke