We already learned of its existence when a couple of years ago, in 2018, a flippy cook robot settled in the stadium of the Dodger and in the Caliburguer restaurant from Los Angeles (United States). However, that version of the automated kitchen assistant did not finish carburizing in front of griddle and deep fryer. He was specifically in charge of hamburgers and fries, but his slowness at the controls of both tasks led to him being fired. Of course, this did not mean that this test was the final one in his promising career as a chef. Now, the company that owns it, Miso Robotics, returns to the fray with an improved model. It will premiere in Whitecastle.
New opportunity after failure
Really, the flippy robot cook It is nothing new, although his new attempt to succeed in front of the stove is. And, also, in a large hamburger chain like White Castle, the oldest in United States, founded in 1921. This American company has more than 360 restaurants scattered throughout the United States. His claim is that the new signing from robotics adapted to the culinary world can be successfully installed in each of these establishments. But you will have to go step by step, checking first if the performance is superior to the first stage of Flippy within the restoration.
In the search to transform the production process to find greater efficiency, the startup Miso Robotics, based in Pasadena and led by David Zito, founding CEO, managed to create a first solution. The project for which the Cali Group (matrix to which it belongs caliburger) aimed at a robot capable of cooking hamburgers 24/7. Every day and every hour, perhaps a madness, perhaps a demonstrable reality. But the problem was that it did not demonstrate that ability in its pilot test.
After an intense year of work to program both the software and the automaton itself, it didn't last two days in the restaurant installed. It formed a great media and customer commotion in the place where it was going to premiere but it did not meet expectations. Some experts pointed out that peak orders that particular day was too much for the amount that had been designed, while others criticized that it was going uncoordinated with the rest of the team. In the end it caused delays in service and was disconnected. Of course, it did not disappear!
Flippy robot cook features
The curious new hospitality worker consisted of a robotic arm moved by different sensors and equipped with Artificial intelligence. This allowed him, through a three-dimensional vision system, to control that the hamburgers were cooked at your point, turning them over at the exact moment. I had help from cameras and more thermal sensors to thus monitor the meat. His capacity stood at 2.000 burgers up to date, even using two different spatulas, which he could clean, just like the grill. All while I was cooking. Although he also dominated other tasks: fryer, preparation of sauces or depositing food on plates. In training theory and practice, these were its advantages.
Without being so innovative, he had work
Despite that el flippy robot cook was not at the level of other automatons that offered better performance, as in the case of Moley or those installed in the Spyce restaurant, had a job. Obviously it received some modifications so that it would act better in kitchens and later it carried out its functions again. First part-time, then full-time. Several investors were interested in him in United States until he signed a contract in 2019 also in the Dodger Stadium, where he took care of the chicken and the fries.
Will return in September to White Caslte
After those first contracts and steps in his professional career, the flippy robot cook will re-prepare burgers and fries but in White Castle, a chain of fast food more important. As of September 2020, he will start his work while Buck Jordan, CEO of Miso Robotics, Think big. Because for him, the growing concern (in the middle of the pandemic) for the food safety It will accelerate the commitment of restaurants to robots, thinking about reducing risks, even if this takes human personnel ahead.
This new chef integrates the same capabilities of its previous version but somewhat improved, now being able to link with the TPV (payment system) and command systems. In addition, the idea is that you analyze data from the environment to learn progressively and even acquire new skills. From White Castle They assure that they will be able to refer their employees to more customer service positions to improve their gastronomic experience. Does this mean that cooks or kitchen assistants will become waiters or shop assistants? Will it really fulfill Flippy with expectations? We have to wait to know it ...
