White Horse Village Adds Robotic Server to Senior Living Dining Team

“Robbie” adds a New Dimension to the Dining Experience

White Horse Village, an active nonprofit senior living community, and a leader in senior living technology,has added a new member to the dining services team, a robot Servi, which has been affectionately named “Robbie” by residents. This high-tech waiter is adding an entirely new dimension to the dining experience for residents, effortlessly delivering food from the kitchen to the table. Once Robbie arrives at the table, dining team members hand-deliver the food, sending the robot back to the kitchen with empty dishes to prepare for its next mission.

“Robbie supports our team members by running food, which frees up their time to focus on quality interactions and relationships with residents,” comments Len Weiser, President & CEO. “Robbie ensures our team can focus on the value of building relationships, working up to 12 hours straight and never taking a break.”

Created by Bear Robotics, robot Servi offers three tiers that hold up to 66 pounds to deliver food from the kitchen and return empty trays efficiently. Traveling so quietly, the robot plays jazz tunes to alert residents that it is nearby and can also wish someone a happy birthday.

“Residents think Robbie is cute and they like the music it plays while motoring about the restaurant,” remarks resident Jim Snively, Chair of the Resident Association’s Dining Advisory Committee. “Robbie carries meals to our table promptly ensuring they are served hot, allowing servers to pay more attention to their assigned tables and relieving them from carrying heavy trays”

Robbie was programmed by a Bear Robotics representative, who mapped out the Steeplechase Dining Room so the robot could determine the routes to safely and easily navigate to tables. Weight sensors detect when a person has taken a plate off the tray, signaling it to return to the kitchen.

White Horse Village embraces innovative solutions to provide extraordinary senior living experiences while maintaining a person-centered approach. Servi joins other technology programs implemented on campus, including Zeen mobility device and K4Connect community system.