Robot barista helps maintain social distancing measures at South Korean cafe

Customers wait at a cafe where a robot that takes orders, makes coffee and brings the drinks straight to customers is being used in Daejeon, South Korea
REUTERS

A South Korean cafe has found an innovative way of serving its customers during the coronavirus pandemic, with an efficient robot barista.

The new robot barista at the cafe in Daejon is "courteous and swift" as it delivers coffee and tea to its customers, reports Reuters.

South Korea was reporting 500 new cases per day in early March before it stabilised its outbreak with aggressive tracking and testing.

The country is gradually easing lockdown restrictions as it moves towards what the Government is calling "distancing in daily life".

Lee Dong-bae, the director of research at Vision Semicon, a smart factory solution provider which developed the barista robot with a state-run science institute, said robots could help people maintain social distancing measures in public spaces.

Mr Dong-bae said: "Our system needs no input from people from order to delivery, and tables were sparsely arranged to ensure smooth movements of the robots, which fits will with the current ‘untact’ and distancing campaign."

The system uses a coffee-making robotic arm and a serving robot to serve drinks to customers at their seats.

An employee stands next to a barista robot that takes orders, makes coffee and brings the drinks straight to customers in Daejeon
REUTERS

It can also communicate and makes use of self-driving technology to determine the best routes around the cafe.

The robot was heard telling one customer, "here is your Rooibos almonds tea latte, please enjoy."

"It's even better if you stir it," said the robot as it served the customer a tea from a tray installed inside its capsule-shaped computer.

Student Lee Chae-mi, 23, told the Reuters news agency: “Robots are fun and it was easy because you don’t have to pick up your order

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“But I’m also a bit of worried about the job market as many of my friends are doing part-time jobs at cafes and these robots would replace humans.”

It comes as South Korea issues new guidance on wearing face masks in public spaces.

From Tuesday people will be required to wear masks when using public transport and taxis nationwide.

The Health Ministry said masks will also be required on all domestic and international flights from Wednesday.

From June, owners of “high-risk” facilities such as bars, clubs, gyms, karaoke rooms and concert halls will be required to use smartphone QR codes to register customers so they can be tracked down more easily when infections occur.

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