CAFERO robot waiter serves coffee, does nothing for your loneliness

If Yujin Robot has its way, cafes the world over will someday replace their waitstaff with robots like CAFERO (shown above at Robot World 2008 in Seoul). Details are scarce, but apparently the automaton takes orders on a touch screen and fills them with the help of a human operator (though it's only a matter of time before the carbon-based barista is obsolete). Robot waitresses don't flirt and they don't ask for tips: does CAFERO represent food service utopia or a chilling vision of the future? Only time will tell.

[Via Hallyu Tech]

[Yankees368 @ Oct 20th 2008 3:35PM]

Do you want some more?

[Testies, Testies, 1, 2... 3? @ Oct 20th 2008 3:50PM]

Old news, Nova built one of these in the 80's

[Lowest Ranked @ Oct 20th 2008 4:48PM]

I stole your avatar. Seemed appropriate.

[Flashpoint @ Oct 20th 2008 5:53PM]

Forget the bot, gimme a price on the chick.

Or at least, give me a bot designed like the chick with realistic flesh material.

[OneLove @ Oct 20th 2008 3:36PM]

robots get all the hot Asian chicks

[Adam @ Oct 20th 2008 3:40PM]

Yeah, robots are never lonely!

"And hot asian chicks, they'll do what you want." - Peter Griffin

[John H. @ Oct 20th 2008 3:37PM]

So basically it pees out your drink then hands it you? Appetizing!

/sarcasm

[Harry the Hood @ Oct 20th 2008 3:40PM]

OH MY GOD... there is a Robot World show? Why did nobody tell me? And why aren't you live blogging it Engadget? for the love of God, Robots!! Go now...

[Phoenix @ Oct 20th 2008 4:54PM]

It doesn't involve Apple.

[justme @ Oct 20th 2008 5:06PM]

Agreed.... WHY isn't Engadget there now with live blogging... Robots rock!!

[OneLove @ Oct 21st 2008 1:11PM]

Apple is coming out with a robot next year called irobot...tee...hee...hee!

[paperless @ Oct 20th 2008 3:40PM]

Damn, i don't want the world of the future to be this way... :(

[Adam @ Oct 20th 2008 3:41PM]

The world needs young, good looking baristas!

[htd @ Oct 20th 2008 3:41PM]

it doesnt even look as good as a normal coffee machine to me.

[Chad @ Oct 20th 2008 3:45PM]

Using Target brand paper cups no less. Damn.

[Kiran @ Oct 20th 2008 3:50PM]

Now if that only had the Apple logo engadget ...

[Mark @ Oct 20th 2008 6:41PM]

Maybe the one on the right is the robot... Maybe... Hopefully...

[ScooterDe @ Oct 20th 2008 4:38PM]

robots don't flirt? Then they are not programmed properly.

[bangladeshiluv @ Oct 20th 2008 4:52PM]

robo barista is sporting woody

[Benson @ Oct 20th 2008 5:07PM]

They claim the robot doesn't flirt with customers, but they've only tested with human customers. Would a human barista flirt with robot customers?

Now when a robot comes in for coffee, _then_ you're gonna see some roboflirting action.

[Google_THIS @ Oct 20th 2008 4:40PM]

I would look pretty stupid for yelling at the robot for serving me the wrong drink.

[coffee @ Oct 20th 2008 4:50PM]

I'll take 3.

[Evangelion @ Oct 20th 2008 4:53PM]

¡ʇoqoɹ ssɐpɐq ǝuo s,ʇɐɥʇ

[JMMGoalster @ Oct 20th 2008 4:57PM]

that's one annoying-ass comment

[Phoenix @ Oct 20th 2008 4:58PM]

What's this about a bad ass-robot?

[Jon Nelson @ Oct 20th 2008 5:35PM]

Whenever I see "(adjective)-ass" stuff like that, I like to move the hyphen over one word:

"That's one bad ass-robot"
"That's one annoying ass-comment"

Hours of fun to be had.

[Phoenix @ Oct 20th 2008 5:42PM]

...that's exactly what I just did.

[George @ Oct 20th 2008 4:55PM]

I, for one, welcome our new caffeine dispensing robot overlords.

[Evangelion @ Oct 20th 2008 4:59PM]

^I agree with this man!

[nanobis @ Oct 20th 2008 5:20PM]

If it serves me coffe i for one welcome them.

[MacroEQ @ Oct 20th 2008 7:05PM]

"Is that a shelf in your pocket or are you pleased to see me"

[IndiaTech @ Oct 20th 2008 5:53PM]

Does it go bonkers if I say Large instead of Venti?

[Tori @ Oct 20th 2008 7:01PM]

Actually, there is one in Japan that serves food and drinks when you order them. And it talks too (kinda in funny way)
I dont remember where the restaurant was but it was waaayy back then like 4or 5 years ago.

[YEAH! @ Oct 20th 2008 7:35PM]

dunkinbeatstarbucks.com

[Artie Lange @ Oct 21st 2008 12:22AM]

In ten years Engadget will run a similar but reversed pic with the caption, "Meatbags taught to serve oil".

[Brian @ Oct 21st 2008 1:39AM]

You can bet your butt that by the time these start popping up in cafes across the world, they will long since have given them the ability to beg for tips.

[Bjsfreaked @ Oct 21st 2008 4:36AM]

also if it has a bad day - you know that it won't spit into your drink or it'll be easy to see.

Excuse me - theres oil in my drink