In spring, Juniper Village at Bucks County in Bensalem, Pa., got some additional help to enhance its dining services when owner Juniper Communities began piloting the use of robots.

Kris Kishbaugh, regional director of dining services for Juniper Communities, says the 357,000-square-foot continuing care retirement community (CCRC) wanted to test if using robots to expedite food delivery and table bussing at its café would help improve service and alleviate some pressure on staffing.

The units, Servi advanced technology by Bear Robotics, are self-driving and measure three feet tall. They come with a tray and a bus tub that can be attached. Cameras and sensors help them navigate a space.

Kishbaugh says initially residents were skeptical but quickly accepted robots as another tool in use at the CCRC. On the staffing side, he says the program allowed servers to spend more time in front of residents rather than running back and forth to the kitchen.


Following the month-long pilot, the community decided to move forward with a three-year contract with the technology provider and is considering placing units at additional communities that have a universal worker model.