A kitchen that is fully autonomous and prepares fresh meals without human intervention has made its debut at a supermarket in Germany.
Munich-based robotics company Circus SE has debuted its CA-1 Series 4 system inside a REWE supermarket in Düsseldorf, Germany, as part of REWE Region West’s new “Fresh & Smart” concept, marking what its creators suggest is the world’s first integration of autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) cooking robots directly within a supermarket.
Source: Circus Group
According to its developers, the CA-1 is a compact robotic kitchen that is enclosed in glass and capable of autonomously performing the entire meal preparation process — from collecting ingredients to cooking, plating and cleaning — entirely on its own.
As part of the “Fresh & Smart” concept, customers can order restaurant-quality meals in-store that are prepared on demand by the CA-1. The company noted that CA-1 can prepare up to 120 meals an hour.
The latest iteration of the CA-1 is reportedly lighter and faster than earlier versions and it features modular grippers that attach magnetically and a refined induction system that heats the pot precisely where needed.
Further, the robot is capable of adjusting its stirring speed automatically according to the meal type, while built-in sensors detect ingredient changes in real time.
In between meals, the CA-1 cleans itself thanks to a built-in commercial dishwasher that automatically sanitizes the equipment.
In the store, the customers interact with the CA-1 via touchscreen or voice interface, and it responds in real-time and uses predictive algorithms to prepare only what is needed, thus reducing food waste.
In addition to grocery stores, the company is eyeing possible applications in other high-volume settings like hospitals, universities, factories and even autonomous meal preparation for soldiers in the field.
