Robotic Baristas and Smart Cafes: A New Big Thing?
Coffee is not just a beverage; it’s a culture, a lifestyle, and an essential pick-me-up for millions worldwide. Over the years, coffee has evolved from a simple drink to a literal art form, which has been guided by technological advancements throughout the years. A popular example of this includes smart-cafes. These innovative establishments are revolutionizing the way we experience coffee, integrating cutting-edge technology to enhance every aspect of the coffee brewing process and the overall cafe experience. Smart cafes are more than just a trend; they represent the future of the coffee industry. At the heart of these cafes lies the integration of automated devices, which streamline and connect coffee machines, grinders, milk frothers, and even the point-of-sale systems. So where can you find smart cafes today, what do they do, and how are they changing the world?
What They Bring to the Table
The traditional method of brewing coffee has always involved a degree of subjectivity and human error, in almost every cup. However, with the advent of smart cafes, coffee preparation has taken a leap forward in precision and consistency, even if this change has been very recent.
Automated coffee machines can now execute a barista’s every move with machine-like accuracy, from grinding the beans to adjusting water temperature and extraction time using a cornucopia of sensors. This level of precision guarantees that each cup is brewed to a respectable level of perfection, giving customers a remarkably consistent and delightful coffee experience. Given a computer’s ability to recognize and memorize, customization is definitely a tangible thing in these automated cafes, where customers can have aspects and factors of a brew custom-tailored to their palette. Combine this with efficient and fast payment systems, and things are looking really good for the customer.
It’s also starting to pay off for coffee shop owners and the individual baristas, as well. The automation of basic coffee-based drinks, such as espressos, drip coffee, and lattes, opens up baristas to make more complicated drinks with real human hands with expertise. Coffee-bots can produce and serve coffee 24/7, which opens up coffee shops to a slew of new opportunities. These robots only require some maintenance, they don’t need to be paid, and don’t take days off, making it an attractive option for coffee shops when it comes to growing and streamlining the coffee serving process. Being a barista can be a difficult and straining job, and having a quick, automated, and efficient employee behind the counter can alleviate this.
It wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t tell you the downsides of this, though. Human interaction has always been important in the coffee shop experience, and you can’t really replicate that quite well with a piece of metal. AI and Automation isn’t really that good with being creative beyond preset recipes and designs, so introducing these robotic baristas into small coffee shops with often-changing menus might not be as effective.
Where are They Now?
You’ve probably already heard of places where smart cafes and robotic baristas are being used and introduced. A prevalent example, Cafe X, sells automated cafe systems that are already being sold around the world. The Artly Barista Bot is nestled inside Washington Square Mall and uses computer-vision technology to make coffees and lattes. Rozum Cafe sells similar things. NYC got its first robot barista this may. Who knows what startups are still on the way, and where this relatively new technology will take the coffee world?
