SoftBank Robotics launches Servi Q with 45cm aisle claim

SoftBank Robotics says it built the Servi Q around the practical complaints that come with putting serving robots to work: narrow aisles, tight turning space, stable carrying of food and drinks, and debris getting caught in the wheels. The body's answer to the first two is a slim 35cm-wide unit that can drive down a 45cm aisle and, in a feature the company calls an industry first, reverse out of tight spots instead of needing room to turn around.

For stability, the design pairs a suspension mechanism with trays that hold up to 10kg per level and 30kg in total, which the company says keeps drinks from spilling even when a tray carries six beer mugs through an emergency stop or over a step like a cable. The wheels and casters are built so food scraps, paper bits, and hair are less likely to cling or get wound in, and a cleaning mode rubs debris off onto a mat. The robot also carries a display for facial expressions and an 18.5-inch screen for menus or ads, with custom faces available to match a store or brand.

Whether the 45cm and reverse-driving claims translate into real deployments is likely to depend on how well the coordination features hold up — robots facing each other must have one back up to yield, and two units can only pass each other in aisles of 100cm or more, so mixed traffic in particular is where the experience will be tested.