Jan. 11 (UPI) — Exhibitors at the 2024 CES showed off technology that could help simplify complicated tasks in the kitchen. Some of these new inventions could change the way people grow and prepare food including ice cream, coffee and cocktails at home.
The Artly Coffee in Seattle showed off its Coffee Robot to curious potential buyers Wednesday. Artly co-founder Meng Wang, who worked on AI and robotics at Amazon, developed the idea over the last several years.
The barista robot can communicate via microphones and AI-learning to take drink orders and even make recommendations for specific drinks.
Rise Gardens displayed several of its smart gardens, including the new Roma, an indoor hydroponic garden intended to grow fruiting plants like Roma tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers and even dwarf trees.
The software uses AI, environment data and growth data to manages light exposure, water usage and more.
With the growth of the non-alcoholic drink market, Japanese company sPods Inc. hopes its newest creation, the Coldraw, can expand the possibilities of high-quality craft non-alcoholic drinks at home.
The Coldraw extracts the flavors and colors of botanical ingredients such as tea leaves, herbs and fruits in a few minutes with a user-friendly interface.
Clifton, N.J., company DREO brought two new products to Las Vegas this week, including an innovative milk frother that allows coffeeblovers to make their fanciest drinks at home.
The company said its MultiComfort can emulate the froth quality found in commercial coffee shops, “surpassing the capabilities of most traditional off-the-shelf home frothers with unmatched froth quality and texture.”
DREO’s new milk frother will be featured on Kickstarter mid-year and officially launched later this year.
Although the ColdSnap first debuted at CES 2021, the company is just starting to roll out products to restaurants this year. A consumer version of the ice cream machine is due in 2025.
The appliance can make ice cream, smoothies or coffee drinks using “pods,” which are about the size of an energy drink can. ColdSnap can churn out frozen treats in less than 2 minutes.
Doosan Robots have been developing AI-enabled robots for a few years and showed off its newest iterations, including their E-Series robot that can serve up cocktails or man the grill.
On Wednesday, Doosan Robot spokesperson Stephanie Callaway spoke to the Food Institute, showing a cocktail robot enabled by ChatGPT. The company introduced the Robot Barista Café last year, and makes dozens of different robotic arms for industries, including automotive and industrial manufacturing.
The company’s collaborative robot line specifically created for the food and beverage industry was launched in May. According to Callaway, the robotic cocktail bartender, named “Mixmaster Moodie” is powered by Microsoft ChatGPT and programmed to read a person’s mood based on facial expressions.
Users select their mood and then a drink, and a few seconds later, the robotic bartender, which is two separate robots, starts to prepare a drink.
Callaway told the Food Institute it could help restaurants with cost savings, labor shortages and other staffing issues.
While robotic bartenders like Makr Shakr and Cecelia have started to pop up in places like Las Vegas and on cruise lines, they can cost upward of $110,000.
Although it can’t tell jokes, the Bartesian can easily whip up a perfect Manhattan in seconds, using craft cocktail capsules and an easy-to-use interface.
Users can stock the Bartesian with vodka, whiskey, rum, gin and/or tequila, insert a cocktail capsule, select a drink strength and the machine does the rest.
