24th December 2020 World's first robotic kitchen goes on sale Following six years of research and testing, a British technology company has officially launched what it claims to be the world's most advanced domestic robot.
The world's first robotic kitchen is officially launched this month. The Moley Kitchen, created by British technology company, Moley Robotics, is a fully automated unit that prepares freshly cooked meals at the touch of a button. It consists of cabinets, robotic arms, a motion capture system, a connected graphical user interface with access to a library of recipes, and a full set of kitchen appliances and equipment, optimised for both robot and human use. The Moley Kitchen – first revealed publicly in April 2015 – is the product of six years of research and development by an international team of 100 engineers, product and luxury interior designers and three award-winning chefs. At the heart of this new technology are two robotic arms featuring fully articulated 'hands', developed in collaboration with world-leading German robotics company SCHUNK. Following 11 exhaustive development cycles, they can now reliably reproduce the movements of human hands. This means the robot can retrieve ingredients from the smart fridge, adjust hob temperature, use the sink to fill pans and pour, mix and plate up just as a human cook would. The robot even cleans up after itself.
The Moley Kitchen system does not cook like a machine – it captures human skills in motion. Tim Anderson, culinary innovator and winner of the prestigious BBC Master Chef competition (2011) played an integral role in the kitchen's development, with his cooking techniques being 3-D recorded, then translated into elegant digital movement using bespoke algorithms. Tim, along with fellow chefs, Nicole Pisani and Andrew Clarke, have created 30 dishes to showcase the system's capabilities at launch, with new recipes added every month. Ultimately, Moley customers will be able to select from a digital menu of more than 5,000 choices, as well as having the option to record their own family-favourite dishes using an innovative recipe-creator software tool. The Moley Kitchen uses a combination of sensors and optical cameras to map ingredients, cookware and utensils within its area. Subtle markers on handles and pan lids help the robot orientate the stainless-steel pots, pans and utensils. The robot's optical system can even spot dropped food and clean it up before and after cooking. An integrated UV lamp ensures the cooking area is kept germ free.
The bespoke kitchen is available in a range of styles. It also comes in two formats: as a smart Internet of Things (IoT) enabled kitchen (known as "R"), with or without the integrated robot. The smart kitchen includes an IoT refrigerator and storage which flag when ingredients are about to expire, or are running low, professional-grade induction hob, oven and sink. The smart kitchen can easily be upgraded at a later date to include the fully automated package (known as "X") with state-or-the-art robot arms and dexterous hands mounted on the integrated three axis rail system. So far, more than 1,200 qualified sales enquiries have been received. As every installation is bespoke, the price is dependent on specification, but the Moley Robotic kitchen is comparable to conventional luxury kitchens. As the technology matures, Moley aims to produce versions at a variety of price points enabling mass-market adoption, in much the same way Tesla has with EV cars. "What you are looking at here is the world's first consumer robotic kitchen," said Moley Robotics founder and CEO, Mark Oleynik. "Our luxury fully automated smart kitchen is now on sale, and like all breakthrough technologies – cars, televisions and computers – it will appeal to enthusiasts, professionals and early adopters, and is priced accordingly." "We anticipate that our pricing will be reduced significantly over time with production volume, efficiencies and economies of scale, whilst simultaneously enhancing additional functionalities of the product," he continued. "Whether you love food and want to explore different cuisines, follow a low-calorie diet or have special dietary requirements, the automated kitchen can do this. Thanks to the recipe sharing platform, home cooks and chefs will be able to upload personalised variations of recipes and save family favourites for everyone to enjoy for years to come. It is not just a labour-saving device – it is a platform for our creativity. It can even teach us how to become better cooks!"
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