- Kyle Chua
Facebook Video Captures Robot Barista at Punggol Hawker Centre Spilling Coffee Onto the Floor
Robots, the same with humans, can also have bad days at work.
A Facebook user captured the moment when a robot barista at one of Singapore's popular dining spots spilled coffee on the floor as diners watched in surprise.
In the video uploaded by user Ks Toh on Saturday 28 April, the robot "kopi uncle" at One Punggol Hawker Centre is seen accidently setting a jug askew on the table, causing it to topple over. The robot, which resembles an arm, then grabs a second jug and tries to pour the coffee into the lopsided jug, resulting in the hot drink spilling onto the floor. "Oh my goodness," says one onlooker, while another says, "They can refund, refund."
"This is the reason why robot baristas cannot replace human beings," Toh wrote in the caption of the video.
After the robot's blunder, a male staff member approaches and re-adjusts the toppled jug to make sure no more coffee is spilled and wasted.
Despite what Toh witnessed and captured on video, he still thinks robots can be helpful to humans. "Obviously the cause of this failure needs to be examined but to clarify, I support the use of robots," he wrote. "I use robots at home."
The video seemingly sparked a discussion among social media users on the use of robots in place of humans. One user commented that robots "are the future", and humans must be prepared to "embrace" the technology as more countries must deal with aging populations in the near future. Another, meanwhile, said that the robot just needs to be fine tuned.
"The critical difference between a human being and a robot is that when a human makes a mistake, he can correct it immediately while a robot may not, and may continue the mistake and make it worse," commented Ks Toh.
The robot at One Punggol Hawker Centre is programmed to brew and pour coffee and tea. It was launched in October 2022.
A Facebook user captured the moment when a robot barista at One Punggol Hawker Centre spilled coffee on the floor as diners watched in surprise.
The robot pours coffee on a jug that it accidentally set askew on a table, resulting in the hot drink spilling onto the floor
The video seemingly sparked a discussion among social media users on the use of robots in place of humans.