Robots may deliver your next room service order

Silicon Valley robotics startup Savioke is no stranger to the hospitality industry. Last year, the company began a pilot program in the Aloft Hotel in Cupertino, California with its SaviOne robot butler. The robot has a carrying capacity of 2ft³ (56L), enough for a small parcel or a few bottles of water or other drinks.

Now, the company has begun another program, this time in a much larger hotel with 300 rooms and an updated robot and navigation technology. The robot is about 3 feet tall and weighs less than 100 pounds. It is designed to move at a human walking pace. Like the previous trial, the robot is expected to make small package deliveries from the front desk.

In addition to small package deliveries, however, it is not a stretch to imagine that the next version will be able to have a larger payload and will be capable of more. Room service deliveries, for example, are a clear next step for the company. It is also not too far-fetched for cleaning carts to be automated in order to bring dirty laundry from guest rooms to cleaning facilities, or bring up new supplies to the staff.