MyBot, a service robot, is a solution that will make restaurant businesses in Chiang Mai Smart City even smarter.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, robotics has become increasingly important in our daily lives. The primary reason is to reduce human contact and exposure, as well as address labor shortages during the COVID-19 crisis. Familiar robots come in many forms, from medical robots to robots used in industrial production processes to service robots used in various businesses, particularly in restaurants, where they significantly ease the burden on restaurant staff.

From alternative to main assistant in restaurants, service robots are the hopeful machines that can solve labor shortages and help reduce costs in the long run.

Before we get to know the prototype service robots that are helping to lighten the human burden, let's update you on the true benefits of service robots so that everyone understands why service robots are playing an increasingly important role in today's restaurant industry.

As mentioned, the shift to service robots is a good solution for reducing contact during this pandemic. However, the real reason for the serious adoption of service robots in this era is that the food and beverage industry is facing a severe labor and employment shortage.

According to Recruitment Research Institute 58.com, during January-October 2020, during the time the COVID-19 virus was spreading around the world, the top five industries that saw increased employment were accommodation, food and beverage, entertainment cashiers, and chefs.

Demand for dishwashers and chefs increased by more than 20 percent compared to the same period last year. Furthermore, wages in the food and beverage industry remain consistently high, with an average labor cost-to-income ratio of 21.35 percent and a growth rate of 3.69 percent, making it the fastest-growing sector in the food and beverage industry.

Therefore, the labor shortage in the restaurant business is a problem that many countries around the world are facing, and during the pandemic, this problem has become increasingly severe. In the United States, for example, data from the National Restaurant Association, which surveyed 3,000 restaurant operators at the end of 2021, found that 7 in 10 said their restaurants were understaffed and did not expect the labor situation to improve within the year.

In the US, during the recent COVID-19 outbreak, there has been a massive resignation, particularly in the food and hotel industries. In November 2021, 1 million employees resigned. In the past, many restaurant workers have made it clear that they will not return to work in this industry, even though many restaurants have announced wage increases.

The main motivation behind this phenomenon, aside from the risk of infectious diseases, which is no less than any other occupation, is the fact that there are many other reasons why food service jobs are no longer attractive.

Since restaurant businesses in many countries, including Thailand, rely heavily on foreign workers, when the pandemic struck, workers were forced to return to their home countries. Since borders are still open, these workers are unable to return to work, leading to a labor shortage.

And as the country nears its full reopening, people will be out and about more, but restaurants will be unable to find workers to bring them back in time. Therefore, the adoption of robots to meet the massive demand is one of the first choices restaurant operators are making.

Take a look at the prototype MyBot, a service robot that's worthy of the restaurant business in the New Normal era.

And in Thailand, service robots are increasingly being used in the restaurant business. This not only rebrands restaurants and cafes, bringing them more modern services, but also stimulates the booming service robot manufacturing and development industry in Thailand.

To illustrate, we would like to present an example of a success case of introducing service robots that can help revamp the service of restaurants and cafes effectively. Most recently, KSI Solution, a subsidiary of TKK Corporation, distributor of MyBot, a Chinese AGV and AMR service robot, along with consulting services on designing and installing AGVs and AMRs for industrial factories and warehouses, brought a team of service robot technology experts up north to Chiang Mai, bringing MyBot, a service robot, to show its potential at (FTI Expo 2022: Shaping Future Industries for Stronger Thailand), a trade and innovation exhibition of Thai industries, organized by the Federation of Thai Industries.

At this event, an "Exclusive Talk" event was held at Mont Blanc Sweet Café, featuring the launch of MyBot, an intelligent service robot and solution for Chiang Mai Smart City powered by 5G technology in the Next Normal era. Mr. Boonthawee Chansuwan, Head of Commerce at KSI Co., Ltd., and his team of staff discussed the capabilities of MyBot, a service robot, to support services in restaurants and cafes in Chiang Mai and surrounding areas.

Mr. Boonthawee provided additional information to entrepreneurs about MyBot, a service robot from KSI Solution, as follows:

“MyBot, an intelligent robot, can serve in restaurants and perform a variety of tasks, including delivering food, interacting with customers, autonomous movement, precise navigation, obstacle avoidance, voice communication, and collaboration across multiple devices.”

“Equipped with our proprietary operating system, Robot OS, our restaurant service robots are adaptable to a wide range of applications, from restaurants to businesses to hospitals and hotels. They can be easily and quickly integrated into existing infrastructure to improve efficiency and reduce costs. They're essential products for creating more enjoyable spaces. Some robots can deliver food and interact with customers. We can do both.”

MyBot, this service robot, has the following outstanding features:

Equipped with high definition camera, 6 microphones and a touch screen that supports display and voice interaction systems

It has an automatic navigation system with speed and stability Built-in sensor system to assist automatic routing, obstacle avoidance detection system to ensure stable transportation.

Designed for flexibility It features adjustable shelves and a tray design for easy access. It can support over 10kg on each shelf and up to 40kg in total.

Lasts for more than 2 days on a single charge Choose from two battery specifications: a premium battery with up to 48 hours of standby time, or a standard battery that provides up to 15 hours of continuous operation.

Deliver food non-stop More cost-effective than regular food delivery. With a 4-tier tray capacity, it can deliver food to 4 tables in one round. It can deliver more than 600 trays of food per day. It provides service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, reducing labor costs and increasing labor efficiency by 2-3 times compared to regular labor.

Interact with customers With voice interaction, robots can help customers join or renew memberships, increasing membership retention rates and driving sales.

Quick installation And it is easy to use. Once started, the robot can start working immediately. Training employees takes only 10 minutes.