If you are thirsty or hungry, a call to the room telephone or a message via the app is enough to activate Jeeves, who looks like R2D2 from Star Wars. The 124 cm high and 100 kg heavy service robot, equipped with a laser system, 3D camera and distance sensors, then travels autonomously to the guest's room, even using the elevator. Once in the room, Jeeves draws attention to itself via a phone call or app notification. The guest opens the door, selects and pays for their product - such as an energy drink or a packet of peanuts - via a large touch display. One of the four drawers then opens automatically and releases the selected product.

According to Robotise Technologies, this scenario is more than just a technical gimmick, as hotels can save on refilling and cleaning 300 minibars with just one robot and at the same time eliminate the energy for the small refrigerators from the electricity bill. Trade fairs, canteens, offices, airports, museums and restaurants could also benefit from this in the future.

Routing of power and data lines

Jeeves impressively demonstrates how automation is becoming ever more prevalent in people's lives. However, this development requires technical reliability. "A faulty robot waiter would immediately incur the displeasure of the guests," explains Clemens Beckmann, Head of Engineering at Robotise Technologies. A typical 'Achilles' heel' was the routing of the cables inside the robot, which are responsible for the transfer of energy and data - for example to the sensors in the extendable compartments, with which the robot can recognize inserted and removed products. It could quickly happen that the cables are bent too much and break or freeze to the cooling plate of the refrigerator. "To prevent this and to ensure controlled and fail-safe movement of the cables with a firmly defined bending radius, we opted for energy chains from the E2.10 series from igus," says Beckmann.

These space-saving energy chains, which accommodate energy and data cables, are mounted above the guide rails of the drawers, have an internal width of 18 mm, an internal height of 10 mm and a bending radius of just 28 mm. According to Robotise Technologies, this makes them the most compact solution available on the market. They are made of a high-performance plastic that offers high resistance to wear and abrasion and is suitable for use in a wide temperature range. In addition, the chain links move quietly so that the cable routing does not cause any disturbing noises when opening and closing the product compartments.