
The room service robot: Meet AURA, who works at the M Social Hotel in Singapore. She can fetch you towels and bottled water and knows how to operate an elevator.

Improved experience: "The inspiration behind AURA the Relay Robot is to bring convenience and delight to guests and to help staff focus on improving guest experiences," says Lee Richards, Millennium Hotels and Resorts' vice president of operations.

First in Asia: AURA was designed by robot-builders Savioke. She's the first of her kind outside the United States, but she has other counterparts throughout the world. "Robot services expanding globally is not only most likely but is already something that is already underway," says Richards.

Robot takeover?: AURA has been a success -- but Richards says this doesn't mean human room service will become obsolete: "The heart of hospitality is really about people," he says.

Robot takeover?: More robots are in the works for Millennium hotels -- including AURA's brother, who has the ability to cook different types of eggs and should be in service by 2018.

Future of technology: AURA is just one way that the hospitality industry plans to modernize as people's expectations grow. "There is definitely a huge role that technology could play in the hospitality industry to create fresh and memorable experiences," says Richards.
Singapore is full of marvels for travelers -- get more here
Singapore is full of marvels for travelers -- get more here


