A robot on wheels with an iPad for a head is the latest addition to the Indianapolis International Airport's guest services staff.
The so-called Double Robot is meant to enhance customer relations at an airport that serves more than 7 million travelers each year, according to a statement from the Indianapolis Airport Authority. The robot features a customer service worker's face on an iPad--as if you were speaking to the representative on Face Time or Skype--and it sports a blue polo shirt on its skinny Segway-like body.
The robot took its first spin around the airport's baggage claim earlier this week.
.@INDairport introduces customer service robot http://t.co/yWJgiNWnO7 pic.twitter.com/BiuoXnxR5V— WISH-TV (@WISH_TV) October 10, 2014
Many travelers didn't seem to know what to make of the robot. Some waved to it, while others took photos.
When Cliff Willms was told he could ask the robot questions, he said he wasn't ready to do that.
"I'd rather ask a human a question, than a machine," Willms told The Indianapolis Star. "At this point, I'm good with just gawking at it."
But airport officials say customer service can come in many forms.
“This initiative combines our staff’s longstanding commitment to traditional Hoosier Hospitality with an innovative technology that can multiply its benefits,” Michael Wells, president of the Indianapolis Airport Authority's board, said in the statement.
Other travelers said they liked the robot.
"I think it's fantastic," Joe Asen said. "It's great customer service. He's a nice guy, by the way."
The airport is hosting an employee contest to come up with a name for the robot. Double Robot isn't catchy enough, apparently.
What do you think the airport robot's name should be? Tell us in the comments