The future is near: We are only two years away from a robot chef

By Fusion Staff  |  April 13, 2015 | 7:36pm
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Today in Germany, “the world’s biggest industrial fair” Hannover Messe kicked off and showed us the thing we’ve most wanted out of the future: a robotic chef.

Moley Robotics, the firm behind what it says is the first robotic kitchen, describes it as “featuring a dexterous robot integrated into a beautifully designed, professional-grade kitchen,” adding that the robot “cooks with the skill and flair of a master chef.”

Here are animations of how the fully realized robotic kitchen would look. First, you’d select a meal from more than 2,000 pre-programmed options.

And then the robot would cook it for you, in this smart kitchen:

The robot might even show off a little:

Or do a little dad-robot dance:

Here’s what the prototype looks like preparing a crab bisque:

According to a press release, the robotic chef’s movements are based on those of an excellent human chef:

‘The Moley Robotics 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. He first developed a dish that would test the systems capabilities – a crab bisque – and was then 3-D recorded in a special studio cooking it.”

… to an almost-creepy extent:

“The robot doesn’t just cook like Tim – in terms of skill, technique and execution it is Tim producing the dish. The kitchen even ‘signs off’ its work with an ‘OK’ gesture – just as the chef does.”

According to Moley Robotics, the first version of the robotic kitchen will be available to the public in 2017, even though we’re ready now.

Danielle Wiener-Bronner is a news reporter.

 
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