A trainee office manager is set to begin a two month trial, but this is a new starter with a difference – because Betty is a ROBOT.

The unusual colleague is about to launch her new career at The Transport Systems Catapult, based in Milton Keynes thanks to a team from the University of Birmingham.

Betty will carry out tasks including patrolling the offices, assessing how many staff members are in the office outside working hours, monitoring the environment by collating data on clutter, office temperature, humidity and noise, as well as checking fire doors are closed and desks are clear.

She will also be tasked with greeting guests at reception.

Friendly Betty is a highly sophisticated robot, running artificial intelligence-driven software developed by an international research team led by the university.

This software enables her to process all the information she needs to map and navigate her environment, learning as she does so.