Pakistan engineer builds local robot waitresses for Karachi restaurant

Locally made robot staff debut

The machines wheel between dining booths to deliver fresh pizza to waiting families. They feature spherical white heads with dark visors resembling motorcycle helmets. Black shawls hang around their necks in the style of a dupatta. The robots speak in electronic voices while blinking red LED eyes at diners.

Engineer uses local parts and imports

Syed Osama Aziz established The Sicilian restaurant and developed the machines using mostly locally manufactured parts. He designed their circuit boards and programmed them inside his own lab. His robotics company Cobot built the duo with help from friends. Some electronic components were imported from abroad because local equipment is not easily available.

Robots remain a novelty in Pakistan

While robots are common sights in China and other East Asian countries, they stay rare here. These home-grown creations attract curious diners who must take food off trays themselves. Customers wait for human staff to assist them when the robots arrive at tables. Aziz works on components at his workshop located in Multan in central Punjab province.