Customer Service Robots

Buying advice

Budget for upkeep of an expressive robot

A humanoid that people touch, photograph and talk to all day wears in ways an office machine does not. Ask each maker which parts are expected to need replacing, such as skins, hands or covers, how long spares take to arrive, and whether servicing happens on site or back at the factory. By October 2026, a buyer could spend as little as about $27,500 on the Dobot Atom or as much as about $300,000 on the Sanctuary AI Phoenix, and all of them showed a price. Add shipping crates, storage between deployments and any recurring software or content fees before you compare. Ask too whether a loan unit is available while yours is being repaired.

Find out what the cameras keep

A robot that holds eye contact has to process images of the people in front of it. The European Data Protection Board's Guidelines 3/2019 treat filming people with a device as personal data processing, and identifying faces can bring in stricter rules for biometric data. Ask each maker whether its software only detects faces or also recognises them, whether any images leave the robot, and whether recognition can be switched off entirely. If you plan to change how the robot's conversational AI behaves, ask the maker to set out in writing which duties under Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 stay with it and which pass to you as the deployer.

Plan the installation as well as the robot

A service humanoid needs a defined spot: power within reach, cable routes nobody trips over, a sightline from the entrance and room for a small crowd without blocking a fire exit. ISO 13482:2014 sets safety requirements for personal care robots, including mobile servant robots, and focuses on hazards from physical contact between people and robots, so ask whether each model was designed with contact in mind or expects visitors to keep their distance. For a figure that stays in one place, a plinth or barrier may be enough. For a robot that moves around, agree a speed limit and a marked area with your venue's safety lead.

What to look for

• Facial expression, voice and language options for the visitors you serve
• Whether it walks, rolls or stays in one place, and the floor space it needs
• How conversations and content are written, and who manages them day to day

Common questions

Can a service humanoid hold a conversation?

Many pair speech recognition with a language model so they can answer questions and chat. Check which languages are supported and how responses are controlled in your setting.

Do service humanoids need staff nearby?

In public spaces it is sensible to keep a member of staff close by, especially at first. Ask the maker about remote monitoring and content updates when you request a quote.

Sources and further reading

• ISO 13482:2014 Robots and robotic devices — Safety requirements for personal care robots — International Organization for Standardization.
  Safety requirements for robots that work close to people, such as mobile servant robots; a revision is under way.
• Guidelines 3/2019 on processing of personal data through video devices — European Data Protection Board.
  Explains when filming people with a device is personal data processing, including stricter rules for biometric use.
• Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (Artificial Intelligence Act) — EUR-Lex, Publications Office of the European Union.
  The EU AI Act, which splits duties between providers and deployers of AI systems that talk to the public.