Communications of the ACM
Robot Drinks Stir Man vs Machine Debate
A robot serves customers cocktails or coffee at Ratio in downtown Shanghai.
Credit: Ratio
Located in the basement of a mall in downtown Shanghai is Ratio, a new store that operates as a cafe by day and cocktail bar by night. Automation is the name of the game here. For instance, customers gain access to a digital menu after scanning QR codes found on the tables. Apart from a comprehensive selection of drinks, they can also customize their orders.
Customers can choose how many shots of alcohol they want in their drinks and the specific combination of liquors. The starting price for a customized cocktail is about 60 yuan ($9.00).
Mixologists do not prepare the drinks. A solitary Italian-made robotic arm does the job, spinning around its enclosure where different cups, espresso machines, and liquors are located within its perfectly tuned grasp.
Most customers are fascinated as they watch the $30,000 robot go about performing its tasks with precision. Meanwhile, Ratio's employees perform a role similar to sommeliers, making recommendations to customers.
"What we have here is a collaborative effort. The robots handle about 80 percent of the work. The last 20 percent, which involves tasks such as garnishing and adding ice, is performed by humans," says Ratio founder Gavin Pathross.
From China Daily
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