Skip the lines and meet Ella – your first-ever AI Robot barista in PH!
A robot is any machine capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically, especially one that is programmable by a computer. It can be a simple arm (used in surgery), a spy drone, or even the automated guided vehicles that are used to transport materials around in a factory. Everything falls under the category termed “robotics”. Also, a robot doesn’t necessarily have to be in a humanoid form.
A humanoid robot is a robot resembling the human body in shape. The design may be for functional purposes, such as interacting with human tools and environments, for experimental purposes, such as the study of bipedal locomotion, or for other purposes. In general, humanoid robots have a torso, a head, two arms, and two legs, though some humanoid robots may replicate only part of the body.
Now, you can skip the lines with the country’s first-ever artificial intelligence (AI) robot barista that can make coffee in just two minutes. The robot barista which originated in Singapore can be found at a coffee shop in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. It is part of the Internet of Things (IOT), which does not need human intervention to make coffee drinks; one can order them using an app.
“It was conceptualized back in 2017 by our inventor Keith Tan. He had a problem with the shortage of manpower, which resulted in inconsistency in the quality of the drinks. Ella aims to solve those problems by automating everything and cutting out yung shortage of labor talaga,” said Gabriel del Rosario, business development head of Ella the Robot Barista PH.
The robot barista can make 200 cups per hour of up to 20 expresso-based drinks such as lattes, cappuccinos and their special drink, the pandan tea latte. Since it is AI-powered, the robot barista can also recommend a beverage. “It’s a whole bunch of machines put together. It’s a state-of-the-art coffee machine, a state-of-the-art ice machine, an onboard computer, and of course the star of the show, the robot arm itself,” Del Rosario said.
To get a drink, an app must be downloaded. And from the app, the customer can choose their preferred beverage, then click “buy now” and “pay.” Once you confirm your location, the payment will be successful, and the robot barista will create your drink.
Early beginnings
In 350 B.C., the Greek mathematician Archytas built a mechanical bird termed ‘The Pigeon’, which was propelled with the help of steam. In the 14th century, Leonardo Da Vinci designed a mechanical man that looked like an armored knight. The mechanisms inside the armored knight were designed to make the knight move as though there were a real person inside. With the arrival of programmable computers in the 1940s, the first real robots began to take shape. The earliest robots as we know them today were created by George Devol in the 1950s.
Fast forward to 1985, the first robot, called Puma350, was used in the medical field for surgery. Its purpose was to orient a needle for a brain biopsy under computerized tomography guidance. 1997 was perhaps one of the most important years for robotics. It was the year of the Mars Pathfinder mission. In 2015, Nadine, the most human-like robot ever made, was created by the Nanyang Technological University. It currently operates as a university receptionist.
Reference: First-ever AI Robot barista in PH can make coffee in 2 minutes
