Scientists Study Bar Customers to Develop Robot Bartender Named James

Posted on September 16, 2013

Scientists at Bielefeld University have been studying how orders are placed at the bar so they can make a robot that knows when a customer wants another drink. The researchers analyzed how the body language of the potential customer helps the bartenders know when a customer is ready for another drink. The researchers video-taped customers at bars and studied their behavior. The data showed it is crucial how customers position themselves at the bar counter.

The findings were programmed into James, a robotic bartender, so that it knows when a customer wants another drink. James has a tablet computer for its head and big, comic-style eyes. Its mouth moves in sync with its speech. The one-armed metal body forming James' torso is fixed behind the bar. James accepts drink orders and reaches for the drink using its arm and a four-fingered hand.

Professor Dr. Jan de Ruiter from Psycholinguistics Research Group at Bielefeld University, and one of the project partners, said in a statement, "In order to respond appropriately to its customers the robot must be able to recognise human social behaviour. Currently, we are working on the robot's ability to recognise when a customer is bidding for its attention. Thus, we have studied the process of ordering a drink in real life."

The researchers found that over 90% of customers that want a drink position themselves directly at the bar counter and turn straight towards the counter or a member of staff. James has been programmed to only talk to people whose position and body posture clearly indicate they wish to order a drink. James will not allow customers to cut in line. The researchers say James knows who came up to the bar first.

This is a demo video of James the robot bartender from 2012. James only has water in this demo. James says, "I have water, water and especially for you...water." Take a look:

The research was published here in Frontiers in Psychology.


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