California has been the first place in the world where an autonomous restaurant has already been implemented where robots cook the food that each customer will demand to enjoy on the premises. The establishment is called “CaliExpress by Flippy”.
What is “CaliExpress by Flippy” the first stand-alone restaurant about?
The difference compared to other more common catering establishments is that “CaliExpress by Flippy” is designed in such a way that only robots work in its kitchen, all of which are run by artificial intelligence. The autonomous restaurant has been opened for the first time in California in December and will only serve by reservation.
Each time a table is reserved in the stand-alone restaurant, the system will record and detect customer preferences. Something that will serve not only to remember their likes and dislikes, but also to give them tips to help them enjoy a different and exclusive experience.
How does the robot-run restaurant work?
When a customer arrives, he or she will have to go to the order screen, something we are already used to nowadays, since most fast food restaurants in cities have these devices. Once in front of the screens, he/she will be able to see the prices and menus, which will be displayed on the panel next to a dataphone. There they will be able to finish the order, sending the food order and paying the price of everything.
Once they receive the order in the kitchen, Flippy, the autonomous restaurant ‘s AI-driven robotic cooking station, prepares the food according to the dishes listed. It is capable of sending everything to your place and where it belongs: the fries already cut to the fryer and the hamburgers to the grill.
Flippy is composed of a robotic arm that is able to identify the food, according to the ingredients in the requested recipe. It is built with sensors, algorithms and cameras that allow it to monitor cooking times and validate that the recipe is going well, verifying its good appearance and quality.
These are the curiosities of the restaurant run by robots and AI
The company in charge of designing the robotic kitchen, Miso Robotics, explained that the machines can differentiate whether a hamburger bun is upside down or in the correct position. Or even if they are in front of a chicken or beef steak. They are capable of performing the tasks not only of a cook, but also of a kitchen assistant, squeezing the hamburger meat so that it is evenly cooked, preparing sauces or plating.
In an area attached to the stand-alone restaurant, all the arms of all the retired Flippy robotic units, some 3D printed items they produced and also several photographs have also been displayed. Having this type of kitchen could avoid food waste, especially oil waste, generating a more calculated and organized work method. In addition, it is expected that this type of cookstoves will be able to provide more occupational safety, avoiding the risks of burns and accidents.
