Japanese robot could call last orders on human bartenders

A robot bartender at Japanese style bar Izakaya chain Yoronotaki in Tokyo, Japan, Jan 29. — Reuters

TOKYO: Japan's first robot bartender has begun serving up drinks in a Tokyo pub in a test that could usher in a wave of automation in restaurants and shops struggling to hire staff in an ageing society.

The repurposed industrial robot serves drinks in is own corner of a Japanese pub operated by restaurant chain Yoronotaki. An attached tablet computer face smiles as it chats about the weather while preparing orders.