Are Robot Waiters the Future1?機器人服務員是未來的趨勢嗎？

長庚

You may have already seen them in restaurants： robots that greet guests， showthem to their tables and deliver2 their meals.

你可能已經在餐館里見過它們：會招呼客人，帶他們到餐桌前，還會端菜的機器人。

Sales of robot waiters have been growing in these years. Tens of thousands arenow working all over the world. But are robot waiters the future？

近年來，機器人服務員的銷售額一直在增長。數以萬計的機器人現在正在世界各地工作。但機器人服務員是未來所趨嗎？

In a survey of US， 62% of restaurant owners say they dont have enough3workers. Many think robots can solve4 this problem.

在一項美國的調查中，62%的餐館老板表示他們沒有足夠的員工。許多人認為機器人可以解決這個問題。

But others say it will be a long time before robot waiters can take the place ofhumans5. Robots cant take orders， and they cant walk well sometimes.

但也有人說，機器人服務員要取代人類還需要很長時間。機器人不能接受點餐，有時也不能很好地行走。

Still， the robots are getting more popular.

盡管如此，機器人越來越受歡迎。

Li Zhai was having problem with finding waiters for his Michigan restaurant， sohe bought three robots. Now， one robot shows people to their seats， another deliversbowls of noodles to tables， while a third carries dirty dishes back to the kitchen.

李齋（音）在為密歇根州的餐廳招服務員時遇到了問題，所以他買了三個機器人。現在，一個機器人領著客人到座位上，另一個機器人把面端到桌子上，第三個機器人把臟盤子拿回廚房。

He only needs three robots to do the same work that five or six people oncedid. And while a robot costs around $15，000， a person costs $5，000 to $6，000 fora month.

他只需要三個機器人就可以完成曾經五六個人做過的同樣的工作。雖然一個機器人的價格約為15000 美元，但一個人的月工資為5000 至6000 美元。

He said the robots give human waiters more time with customers， whichmakes tips grow. And customers post videos of the robots online6. That bringsthe restaurant more business.

他說，機器人讓人類服務員有更多的時間與顧客相處，賺取了更多的小費。顧客們會在網上發布機器人的視頻。這給餐館帶來了更多的生意。

Marcus Merritt was surprised to see a robot waiter at a restaurant in Atlantanot long ago. “I think technology7 is part of our everyday life now，”he said.“Everybody uses some kind of computer. Its a natural progression8.”

不久前，馬庫斯·梅里特在亞特蘭大的一家餐廳驚訝地看到一個機器人服務員。“我認為科技已經成為我們日常生活的一部分。”他說，“每個人都在使用某種電腦。這是一種自然的進步。”

However， someone says restaurantscould easily solve their labor shortages9 ifthey paid workers more.

然而，有人說如果餐館給員工更多的工資，就可以很容易地解決勞動力短缺問題。

Notes

1. future 未來；將來；前途；前景

2. deliver 遞送

3. enough 充足的；足夠的

4. solve 解決；處理

5. human 人；人類

6. online 在網上；在線地

7. technology 科技；技術

8. progression 發展；前進

9. labor shortage 勞力短缺；勞動力短缺