The emergence of AI-powered robot chefs is a significant development in the culinary industry.Â
The culinary industry has undergone an exciting transformation in recent years, thanks to the emergence of AI robots as chefs. In a study conducted by the University of Cambridge and published in the journal Frontiers in Robotics & AI, these remarkable robots have been found to possess cooking and tasting skills like humans, marking a significant leap forward in culinary technology.
Designed to create restaurant-quality meals with precision and efficiency, these AI chefs can mimic professional human cooks in real-time, thanks to their advanced sensors, optical cameras and enhanced AI technology. They can work for long hours without breaks, reducing the workload of human chefs and ensuring that orders are delivered promptly.
The emergence of robot chefs is a game-changer in the culinary industry, with their ability to redefine the traditional approach to food preparation and service. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at some of the most popular and innovative AI robot chefs available today and how they are redefining the culinary world.
Flippy 2: The first-ever AI-powered fry cook
Flippy 2 (Image courtesy of Miso Robotics)
Welcome to the future of fast food! Meet Flippy 2, the world’s first-ever AI-powered robotic fry cook created by the U.S.-based Miso Robotics. As the next iteration of Miso Robotics’ automated fry station robot Flippy, Flippy 2 is designed to simplify cooking tasks and eliminate the bottlenecks that often plague restaurants.
With its incredible multitasking capabilities, this cutting-edge robot can fry frozen ingredients and plate finished food with remarkable precision while keeping multiple recipes on the go. One of Flippy 2’s most impressive features is its AutoBin™ technology, which provides a complete frying solution for lower-volume and specialty foods, such as onion rings. Each bin is fully customizable and can hold as much as a full fry basket, ensuring your restaurant can easily adapt to meet changing customer demands.
Using AI vision, Flippy 2 recognizes food in the bin, cooks it in the correct fry basket and places it into the hot-holding area without human intervention. This closed-loop system reduces human-to-food contact, increasing productivity by up to 30 percent or approximately 60 baskets per hour.
Flippy 2 has already made its mark in the American fast-food industry. Some of the top chains using the revolutionary robot to streamline their cooking process include White Castle, Jack in the Box, Inspire Brands (parent company of Buffalo Wild Wings, Arby’s and Sonic), Wings and Rings and Wing Zone.
Miso implements a one-time installation fee of US$5,000 for Flippy 2 in restaurants, along with a recurring monthly service charge of US$3,000. However, the company is able to offer its robotic kitchen assistant at a competitive price compared to the expenses of hiring an employee to perform the same task.
Euphotic Labs’ Nosh: The future of home cooking robot chef
Nosh (Image courtesy of Euphotic Labs)
Imagine having your own personal chef at home, capable of preparing over 200 mouth-watering dishes. Well, that dream has become a reality thanks to Bengaluru-based AI startup Euphotic Labs. Their latest invention, an autonomous robot chef called Nosh, has taken the culinary world by storm.
Measuring about the size of a standard microwave, Nosh comes equipped with designated containers for various ingredients and spices, making it a breeze to operate. Once the ingredients are loaded, the user simply selects the desired dish from the menu, and the machine takes over.
With consistent cooking times for each dish, despite its autonomous operation, Nosh uses a camera and AI to add ingredients in the same sequence as a human chef would, ensuring precision and accuracy. This makes it an ideal solution for busy households and commercial kitchens that require high levels of consistency.
For the affordable price of INR50,000 (US$608), Nosh is now available for pre-ordering, with a discounted pre-order price of INR40,000 (US$486) per product.
P-Robo: The high-speed pasta cook
P-Robo (Image courtesy of TechMagic)
P-Robo, a three-axis robot jointly developed by Japanese café operator Pronto Corporation and Tokyo-based robotics firm TechMagic, is changing the way pasta is cooked at the E Vino Spaghetti restaurant in Tokyo.
Equipped with four pans, the P-Robo can wash the pans on its own and defrost frozen pasta in just ten seconds, heating it up and adding sauces during the cooking process. The first serving is ready to serve in just 75 seconds, with subsequent servings taking only 45 seconds to prepare. That translates into an ability to serve more than one dish per minute.
With a capacity to cook up to 90 meals per hour, the P-Robo offers a cost-effective solution to the food industry’s labor shortage woes, while providing a quick and efficient service. TechMagic and Pronto share a common vision of creating sustainable food infrastructure and addressing the human resource development challenges in the food service industry due to a severe labor shortage.
The startup aims to deploy P-Robo in up to 50 restaurants in the next five years and supply the machines to other restaurant chains, signaling a willingness to expand their business and cater to a wider audience.
The culinary industry is experiencing a seismic shift as AI-driven robot chefs revolutionize the way we prepare and serve food. With their advanced sensors, automated processes and ability to handle complex recipes, robot chefs are making cooking more accessible and efficient, while also delivering consistent quality. As more and more restaurants adopt these machines, we can expect to see further innovations and advancements in the culinary industry.
Also read:
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- “Excuse Me, Are You a Human?” Top 5 AI Humanoid Robots That Entered Our World
- Alone No More: 4 Best Companion Robots to Consider in 2022
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