

Germany's 'robot' restaurant - RiderOfGiraffes
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7336490.stm

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osipov
This made me remember the Japanese restaurant which works on the opposite
principle: robotic chefs and human waiters. Video here:
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sVOSlUn7e0>

There is an interesting cultural dimension to Germans choosing to replace
human interaction with robot interaction while Japanese choosing to replace
human work with robot work.

~~~
ugh
No, there is not.

(Two anecdotes are not data.)

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osipov
"data" is a very flexible term and you can choose how you define it. For
instance, I argue that we should take into account choices of each individual
who in anyway had to give their active (i.e. though contribution) or passive
(i.e. though acceptance) agreement for the respective project (i.e. robotic
chef vs. robotic waiter) to go though to completion. Projects of this scope
involve teams of people who analyze needs, consider business impact, create
designs, build the robots, etc. Thus each team is a sample of its culture and
their decisions constitute "data" about each culture. Of course you could
argue about team size, but that means you are just arguing about sample size.

~~~
ugh
Sure, define it that way. But no one (sane) will believe you if you define
data that way.

(You can define any word however you want it and I have no problem whatsoever
with that. If you communicate your definitions, fine, alright. But your
definition of data is not one that would convince very many people when it
comes to generalizations.)

~~~
osipov
sane or insane argument is irrelevant. persuading a sociologist is enough in
matters of culture.

~~~
ugh
Well, then convince a few :) (I don’t think one would be enough.)

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osipov
I just did -- my wife's cousin and her husband are sociologists :)

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ugh
Aw, come on. I definitely want a paper published in a peer reviewed journal –
nothing more, nothing less :)

~~~
osipov
sure, why do you write the 1st draft, we'll co-author

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papaf
I ate at this restaurant, its quite fun and they even deliver soup down the
slides. I got really embarrassed though when I wanted to pay for everyone as a
gift at the end. The till is human operated, the woman was rude and they don't
take credit cards.

~~~
xiaoma
Maybe they'll find a way to automate her out of the restaurant next.

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aarongough
Hmm. It would appear the the term 'robot' in the title is enclosed in quotes
because, in fact, there is not a single robot involved in the delivery of the
food...

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jacquesm
In Switzerland, I believe it was in Zurich (sorry, no idea where that umlaut
hides) there is (or at least was) a restaurant where you get your food by
model train, the seats are so high that you get 'helped on' when you enter and
the waiters are on stilts!

It's years ago, but this video reminded me of it.

I wonder why they used the word 'robot' in their title, but then again, it did
made me click, so maybe that's why they used it :)

~~~
noonespecial
Perhaps _Rotobahn_ would be more appropriate? Knowing Germans, it would be a
Essenrotobahnzeuge.

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growt
Not sure if its a good idea to replace human waiters (other than for the show
effect). When 'donatos' tried to open in germany I went there and was very
uncomfortable to order by phone and sit alone at a table the whole time. I
think they closed by now.

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sedachv
Besides the carousel restaurants, there's also the Automat cafeterias as
precedent.

