Guests at six-year-old Akul Iyer Koduvalli's birthday party in Bengaluru recently walked in expecting balloons, streamers and other usual stuff. They were instead greeted by Mitra -a humanoid bot that not only conversed with the guests, but also served as a mobile jukebox, a photographer and a tool to livestream the party on social media.
facebook/Balaji Viswanathan
Elsewhere, `Butler O Bistro' (BOB), a bot built by community members of Chennai-based SP Robotics, delighted customers by serving meals at their table.If this is a trend, you may soon see humanoids at social events, gatherings and public places, entertaining you while handling a multitude of chores.
"We have received a lot of queries from industry for bots in restaurants. While some want a bot-themed restaurant, others want to use it for specific purposes like serving or cooking. We have shared the re quirements with our 2,500-plus community, a majority of which are students," said Sneha Priya, cofounder of SP Robotics.
With Mitra, people can walk up and ask questions like `What is the theme of the party?' or `How old is the birthday boy?' or merely wave at it to be captured in a photograph.
facebook/Balaji Viswanathan
"We were looking for something interesting and unique that would keep children and parents engaged. Mitra had guests of all ages excited," said Swetha Iyer, Akul's mother.
Built by Bengaluru-based Invento Tech, Mitra is loaded with more than 200 songs any of which can be played by simply speaking to the bot. With two batteries, each with a four-hour life, Mitra can last long enough for an event, says Balaji Viswanathan, the company's CEO.
"We have taken great care in designing the robot in a way it does no harm. Sensors make sure it doesn't bump into anything or anyone. The body is designed with fairly soft material to ensure that even if a human touches the bot, there will not be a mishap," said Viswanathan. The test was when guests at Akul's party hugged Mitra which can also withstand accidental splashes of water or soft drinks.
facebook/Balaji Viswanathan
Invento Tech has tied up with event organisersabrentkaro.com to tap into Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad. Mitra can be rented for Rs 18,000 or for Rs 30,000 depending on the event.
The startup is also looking to design for functions like weddings "bots which can hold a tray, play instruments like the nadaswaram," explains Viswanathan. "If people get comfortable with bots at fun events, they will be open to accepting them for more serious uses." The last few months have seen bots getting more and more popular at events, both in India and its neighbourhood. While SP Robotics is working on solutions for companies in the hospitality space, a pizza joint in Pakistan introduced a robot waitress which led to doubling of sales.