Karachi restaurant introduces locally developed robot waiters

A pair of locally developed robot waiters is drawing attention at a restaurant in Karachi.

Named Robia and Jojo, the robots were built by Pakistani engineer Syed Osama Aziz, who also founded The Sicilian restaurant. Made largely from locally manufactured components, the machines have spherical white heads, dark visors and black shawls styled like the traditional dupatta.

Robia introduces herself to customers in an electronic voice as she moves between dining tables, delivering orders such as freshly prepared pizzas.

Aziz developed the robots at his own laboratory through his robotics company, Cobot. He designed their circuit boards and programmed the machines, with help from friends and some electronic components brought in from abroad.

He said that sourcing the equipment needed to build robots in Pakistan was difficult, requiring the team to make special arrangements. Robotic service staff are becoming increasingly familiar in parts of East Asia, particularly China, where machines are used in restaurants to deliver food and in other settings to clean premises and greet hotel guests.

In Pakistan, however, the technology remains a novelty, with Aziz's creations attracting the curiosity of restaurant customers.

The robots' service also has some limitations: diners must remove food from the serving trays themselves or wait for a human staff member to help them.