Italian firm Makr Shakr has developed the world’s “first robotic bartender”, which could realise the prospect of a fully automated cocktail bar.
Featuring two robotic arms, the technology allows consumers to order and mix “an almost limitless number of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink combinations” through the company’s simple mobile app. The robot’s fluid movements mimic the actions of a bartender, the manufacturer said, and were modelled on the motions of world-renowned ballet dancer Marco Pelle.
The system also allows consumers to engage both with the creative process, and with each other: users are able to name their own recipes, view other users’ recipes and comments, rate and comment cocktails, and access their order history.
Different types of robots are selected according to the customer’s individual specifications, from the Kuka KR-5 ARC model to the lighter and more versatile Kuka Agilus KR-10 R1100 sixx. The installation centres around an automated bar, integrated into a platform containing all the required systems and utilities so that the system can be self-contained and remains easy to install.
The company’s latest installation has been installed this month as part of Royal Caribbean’s Bionic Bar on board its ship Anthem of the Seas.
Makr Shakr co-founder and designer Carlo Ratti said: “Makr Shakr is a great example of how robotic technologies are changing the interaction between people and products – a topic that we have been exploring in great depth. The system explores the new dynamics of social creation and consumption – ‘design, make and enjoy’ – allowing users to design their own cocktail creations, while digitally controlled machines transform these designs into reality.”
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