STANDING next to a national highway that connects the southern part of West Bengal toitsnorth,arestaurantresembling a typical village house serves multi-cuisine platterto its patrons. But it does that in style. Thefoodisbroughttotables from the kitchen not by a humanbeingbutbyarobotthat can walk and talk. Negotiatingturnsonitsway, the robot named Ananya gently asks anyone blocking its route,“Please letme go. Please don’tstandinthewayandallow me to serve.” Painted in white, the robot is about 5 feet tall and has a rectangular ‘face’ which doubles up as a sensor-driven digital screen to help the kitchen stafftransport foodorderedby customers sitting at a particular table. Ananya has wheels but no hands. It also has four shelves placedverticallyonwhichitcarries the food.

 

A human staff, waiting at the table, takes out the food from the tray to serve ittotheenrapturedpatronwho, more often than not, is found trying to copewiththe amazement of a walking-talking machine standingrightnextto the table. Ifmetwithahurdle,therobot can turn right or left without toppling over or spilling the food items, to reach its destination. “We have four robots, all namedAnanya(Invincible),to projecttheresilienceandfighting spirit of every woman. Our restaurant is run entirely by womenhailingfromtheneighbourhood. They take care of everything - from housekeeping to cooking, from handling the cash counter to helpingthereceptiondesk.So, we thought Ananya would be the most appropriate name,” saidSubhankarMondal,manager of Mother’s Hut restaurant.