Flipping burgers has never been a popular job. In fact, it's something that is used unfairly as a "motivator" at times, as in, "If you don't succeed, you may end up flipping burgers!" As it turns out, this may soon not apply, as humans may no longer be flipping burgers in the future thanks to Miso Robotics' Flippy, a "robotic kitchen assistant" that automates the patty-cooking process.
According to Miso Robotics Co-Founder and CEO David Zito, the tech firm is focused on using automation and artificial intelligence (AI) to eliminate the more pressing pain points in food prep and kitchens. These are the dangerous, dirty and dull tasks around the fryer and grill and unpleasant prep tasks like cutting onions. The idea behind this is to help food businesses improve safety and the quality of food without having to invest in a major kitchen overhaul.
Flippy, who is said to be adaptable, portable and made for use in working kitchens, is a cart-like device that has a six-axis robotic arm and a sensor. The device is set up next to a fryer or grill, and its thermal sensor, various cameras and 3D sensors enable it to detect its surroundings. Flippy can also take food orders through a system that sends the cashier ticket directly into the kitchen. While Flippy certainly isn't a world-class chef, it's a pretty good line cook. This device can unwrap burger patties and place them on the grill while keeping track of the meat's temperature and cooking time. It can also alert humans when the patties are ready to come off of the grill. Flippy still needs some human help as it isn't yet able to wrap up finished products or add condiments. Thanks to Flippy's AI software, it can learn new recipes, making it a helpful device no matter what is on the menu.
As noted by Zito, Flippy will not replace all the humans in the world's restaurants. The creation of recipes and food tasting will remain the chef's purview, per Ziso, and restaurants are social gathering places by their very nature.
Miso Robotics was funded in part by quick service restaurant CaliBurger, which sells its California-style burgers across 12 different countries. The tech firm's employees worked as cooks in Caliburger's locations to research design and functionality for Flippy. To learn more about CaliBurger and its newest robotic friend, visit the information portal BetheBoss.ca today.
