Machine Delight: AI Robot Helps Serve Happy Customers
Alphonso the robot waiter delighted cafe visitors, helping staff to get the job done.
The next time you go for coffee, Alphonso might be the one attending to you. The AI robot has been helping staff in the Brandon cafe and restaurant serve customers. The cafe at No. 30 Coffee Lounge in Brandon, Suffolk, recently welcomed Alphonso, a robot built with the capability of serving and interacting with customers.
A Ready Help
Manager, Nicki Plume said Alphonso has become the subject of discussion among her customers and has been "very helpful". However, she stressed that he was not there to replace staff. She said even elderly customers found Alphonso amusing. "It's just helpful for the girls during the day and we open in the evenings as an Italian restaurant, so it's helpful to bring the food over and clear the tables," she explained.
"The kids really like him... we were the talk of the old people's home as well. They were talking about him down there, so we've had lots of old people come in and ask to be served by Alphonso." Other restaurants across the country seem to have caught the 'robot bug,' using similar ones that often cost as much as £18,500 to buy.
Tech Growth
Technology is increasing around and with the Digital Ipswich Innovation Showcase taking place, there have been more showcases on how technology can "revitalize" town centers through artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR). James Lee Burgess, 51, is the founder of Urban Tech Creative and attended the event to give visitors the chance to experience a 'phygital' - physical and digital - retail experience through headsets.
"The idea is we have digital content for brands that can be provided anywhere or any place using [an empty shelf] as a backdrop." He likened the experience to "an infinite shop front" enabling several brands to show their products through the headsets.
Nana Parry, 38, co-founder of Cluso, was also in attendance, observing that the event made it easier for the public to give feedback on consumer experiences through voice note recordings, which he believed could improve Ipswich.
"One of the great things about Ipswich is everything in terms of regeneration," he said. "So we know that it's really important to get people back into the towns, experiencing the High Street. One of the ways of doing that is by using Cluso, getting the public to share exactly what they want from these experiences."
Jack Norris, 35, is the director of Zubr, offering people the chance to experience AR and VR through digital binoculars at the Ipswich event. He believed the technology could become "street furniture", giving visitors a look into the past.
"The very familiar looking nature of it also appeals to older people who perhaps would never install a 3D app on a phone," he said.
