Applications of Robots in the Food Sector

For most of us, gourmand neophytes, reading the term ‘food sector’ automatically redirects our thoughts to the goodies that await us in our fridge, on the shelves of our regular supermarket, or in our favorite restaurant. On second thought, the idea of a processing factory may cross our minds. But I’m willing to bet that very few of us actually get to imagine a hardworking army of bees pollinating crops, farmers harvesting, the food supplier refilling shelves or professional kitchens, or the home deliverer withstanding the whims of weather to keep our bellies full and happy.

In order to understand the extent to which robotics is redefining the food sector, we first need to understand the complexity of the food supply chain. It all starts with a buzz and, inevitably, ends with a bill.

The itinerary of a complex food journeyOur first stop: raw food coming from croplands and animal farms

According to a report published by UN DESA in June 2017, the current world population of 7.6 billion will reach 8.6 billion by 2030, 9.8 billion by 2050 and 11.2 billion by 2100. Under this scenario and to meet the increasing food demand, the agricultural sector sees itself forced to come up with schemes and solutions that allow for more efficient work and enhanced product quality.

From drones that monitor and pollinate crops to vehicles able to harvest, phenotype, or spray weeds, the presence of robotic applications in agriculture is becoming more and more prominent. Let’s have a look at some of the most impressive agricultural robots:

Ecorobotix’s AVO – the sun-powered weed-killing robot

Sun-powered, autonomous, and easy to control from your smartphone, this robot never complains about having to work on his own 12 hours day and making extra hours at night. What makes this robot so efficient? Its ability to detect weed with an accuracy superior to 85% and spot-spray, thus reducing the amount of used herbicide and minimizing the environmental impact. If you want to read more about EVO and discover more amazing Ecorobotix technology, make sure to visit their website.

RoboBees – the insect-like drones with pollinating abilities

Given the steady decline of the bee population worldwide and the crucial role they play in crop pollination, the researchers at the Wyss Institute (Harvard University) came up with a brilliant solution: an army of RoboBees ready to take over the bees’ chores. With the biology of bees as the inspiration source, these amazing drones perfectly mimic the behavior of a hive, achieving a coordinated large group behaviour. The applications of this innovative technology are varied: pollination, monitoring, search and rescue missions, etc.

If you want to learn more about this project, check out this video or visit the Wyss Institute website.

Robocrop – the tender raspberry-picking robot

Though this AI-powered Robocrop is still in development, the future looks bright for robotic fruit picking! Relying on its sensors and 3D cameras, Robocrop is able to identify and zoom its gripper on ripe fruit, pick it up, and then gently drop it in a tray where it gets sorted by maturity. Though Robocrop currently needs almost 1 minute to perform this operation, its developers reassure us that, once fully developed, it will be able to pick a raspberry in less than 10 seconds. The robot has already been tested with promising results on tomatoes and cauliflower. You can check out Robocrop’s abilities here.

LeLy Astronaut 4 – the milking robot

Astronaut 4 is a performant milking robot that does much more than ensuring the exquisite taste of your milk-based favorites. This robot monitors accurately indicators such as lactose, mastitis, or fat and protein content, thus allowing farmers to keep under control each cow’s health. Want to see how happy cows are to embrace this new technology? Check out this video.

Our second stop: food manufacturing and packaging

From cleaning, sorting, and slicing vegetables to deboning chicken legs, decorating cakes, or packaging and palletizing, robotics is slowly reshaping the food manufacturing process. Though robotic packaging and palletizing is still the prominent application in food manufacturing, the progress in the food processing area is more than obvious. Let’s check out some examples:

mGrip – robotic modular gripping system

Developed by Soft Robotics, this highly performant gripping system has the dexterity of a human hand. Compatible with most robots currently available on the market, mGrip can manipulate practically anything, regardless of its size and shape: vegetables, fruits, medicine, etc. Want to see it in action? Check out this video.

SCOTT’s Red Meat Automated Boning Room

A complex, fully automated system, SCOTT’s boning room not only substantially reduces operational costs but also increases food safety and minimizes waste. Not to mention workplace safety. This is how the system functions. If you want to find out more about the robotic solutions they provide, make sure to visit their website.

Deco-Bot – the skilled cake decorating robot

Developed by Unifiller, Deco-Bot specializes in decorating cakes and cupcakes, adding impressive aesthetics to our sweets cravings. From custom messages to intricate roses, patterns, or icing, this robot offers endless possibilities. Here is a sample of what it can do: https://youtu.be/2lPGYhOZDgc

Our third stop: food service

Now, this is probably the most pleasant and appetizing stop in our journey. Though we are safe to assume that, unlike the previously discussed areas, robotic applications in food service are still in their incipient phase, the progress is notable and creates high expectations.

Is it possible for mass-produced food to reach a restaurant-like quality? The latest developments lead us to think that the answer is a definite YES.

OAL’s APRIL™ Robotics Cooking Cell – a mass-production chef

This ‘RobotChef’, as its developers name it, brings a series of advantages: removes the need for parallel processing, thus reducing expenses on equipment, minimizes waste, and extends the shelf-life of processed food. But the most notable feature is the enhanced product quality that reminds of homemade flavors. Thanks to the automated cleaning features, this cooking cell completely removes the risk of cross-contamination and reduces the need for human interaction. That’s really good news for people who, for example, suffer from celiac disease. If you want to learn more about this robotic chef and see exactly how it works, check out OAL’s website.

Rozum’s Robotic Barista – the robotic arm that delights coffee lovers

With Pulse – a versatile and highly accurate robotic arm with 6 degrees of freedom - as the main character of this sip & smile story, Rozum’s Robotic Barista is an autonomous coffee-brewing installation that can perfectly fit any type of food serving facility: cafeterias, restaurants, snack bars, canteens, etc. Want to learn more about Pulse and this project and see how you can adapt them to your business? Check out Rozum’s website.

Moley Robotics – a robotic chef straight in your kitchen

Teach it your favorite recipes, make it work extra hours and clean after itself, prompt her to impress your dinner guests...it won’t mind! It was designed to meet your culinary needs in the privacy of your home. Endowed with 2 performant robotic arms that mimic to the slightest detail the movements of a chef, this robotic kitchen is probably already on a myriad of Christmas wishes lists. I know for a fact that it is on mine. Watch it work its tantalizing magic. And the best news is … it is now on pre-sale for 2020!

Monsieur – your personal artificial bartender

Crowdfunded on Kickstarter, this artificially intelligent robotic bartender makes the perfect complement for robots such as Moley! Delicious meals and professional cocktails. Can you ask for more? Able to learn your tastes and pre-adjust your drinks, Monsieur can make tailor-made suggestions. Fancy something new? Just select the ‘Surprise Me’ option! Monsieur will even detect when you are home, if you have company, or if you have drunk too much. Easily controllable via a Smartphone App, Monsieur will send you an alert via email or SMS when it is about to run of supplies. Ideal for private use, hotels, private events, or sports arena, Monsieur can offer us a unique experience. Check out its abilities here.

To sum up…

As we have seen, the journey of raw products to our table is a long and complex process. Thanks to technological advancements, some of the tasks along the way can now be taken over by robots. Apart from freeing humans from dirty, tiresome, and potentially dangerous chores, robotic applications come with a series of undeniable advantages: higher product quality, enhanced production, minimized production costs, improved management, etc. As for the foodservice robots we have seen today, I would welcome any of them to my home!

It is impossible to predict how the food industry will look like in a few years. But I agree with Nolan Bushnell, one of ‘50 Men Who Changed America’: ‘I just want the future to happen faster. I can't imagine the future without robots’!