Woody Allen’s futuristic comedy Sleeper included a sequence in which he disguises himself as a robotic servant. The notion of an automaton domestic assistant may have been played for laughs in 1973, but it’s a reality now at Juniper Village in Bensalem. The Lower Bucks Times plugged into its use of “Servi,” a high-tech food-service aide.

The Servis at the senior living facility were created by Bear Robotics of Redwood City, Calif. The firm seeks to leverage corporate experience in both food service and robotics to elevate dining experiences.

The three-foot-tall electronic servers deliver food to the dining rooms and resident rooms and bus tables after diners finish.

Although the robots can be remotely controlled, these models are on autopilot. They use cameras and processors to navigate spaces on their own.

Further, they come with sensors that tell them when they’re carrying enough empty plates to warrant a return to the kitchen for washing. Their dexterity is so finely tuned that the staff has noticed fewer dropped and broken dishes, owing to trays overloaded by human servers.

“Our dining staff have been very receptive to the use of Servis,” said Kris Kishbaugh, regional director of dining services for Juniper Village.

More on this Servi staff is at the Lower Bucks Times.