MotoMan RoboBar - Robotic Bartender

Ever waited in line for a drink?  If so the benefit of a robotic bartender is pretty clear.  In January, we featured an article on the Asahi Robot Bartender.  Now, Motoman takes that concept a leap forward with the MotoMan RoboBar.  The RoboBar is a ‘high volume robotic bartending solution’ that can mix a perfect drink every 10-15 sections.  That’s pretty hard core.

Read The Press Release:
Motoman is “Pioneering Drinkmation™”
MOTOMAN’S NEW ROBOBAR™ HP PROVIDES High-Volume Robotic Bartending Solution for Casinos and Service Bars Three Versions Now Available: Robobar HP, Robobar E, Robobar NA

Motoman is “Pioneering Drinkmation” with several models of complete robotic bartending and beverage dispensing solutions.

ROBOBAR HP Faster than the most experienced human barkeep, able to produce a perfectly mixed drink every 10-15 seconds, Motoman’s new “RoboBar™” high-production model is a complete, self-contained robotic bar designed for use in casinos and other high-volume service bar applications where human servers deliver the drinks to customers.

The bartender is a unique, dual-arm Motoman DA9IC robot with a compact NXC100 controller housed in its base. The two manipulator arms on this innovative robot each have five axes of motion, and the base also rotates to provide an eleventh axis of motion, allowing RoboBar to perform a wide range of operations quickly, accurately and efficiently.

One robot arm is equipped with a simple parallel jaw gripper that handles cups, glasses and beer bottles. Up to eight dispensing guns are mounted on the robot’s other arm. Each gun can dispense up to 16 different ingredients (128 total), including liquors, mixes, juices and wines – in any combination. RoboBar is not only fast, it mixes each drink perfectly every time, eliminating lost revenues due to spillage and overpours. The robot places multiple drinks onto a tray that shuttles in and out of the cell. A safety enclosure is included. The robot is highly reliable and programming it is easy. The user interface is intuitive and graphics-based. Servers enter their drink orders using this touch screen interface, which also identifies each drink on the tray. The number of drink recipes that can be programmed is virtually unlimited.

The RoboBar HP demonstration unit exhibited at the NRA show includes a beer tower with taps for dispensing two different draft beer brands as well as one white wine brand; a cooler for holding the beer kegs and white wine reserve; four cocktail dispensing guns mounted on one arm and a gripper on the other; an automatic ice dispenser, two plastic cup dispensers (each with a stack of cups); automatic beer bottle decapper; a flat screen mounted as robot’s head to provide programmable voice and face personality; and drink delivery slide for multiple drink delivery on a removable tray. One multi-lane conveyor delivers beer bottles from a customer-supplied cooler, while another feeds rows of various sizes of drink glasses to the robot. Various modules and options can be configured to customized RoboBar HP to meet the unique needs of specific service bar applications.

ROBOBAR E
For lower-volume applications, the RoboBar E (Entertainment model) is a “star pourer” that draws customers like a magnet. This model uses the same dual-arm DA9IC robot equipped with simple parallel jaw grippers mounted on each arm that allows it to operate much like a human bartender – only better. RoboBar E is designed to use a magnetic card scanner to authorize drink service. After a valid card swipe, the customer uses a touch screen to choose a beverage. The Motoman robot selects a cup, and then fills it with the appropriate beverage(s) and ice, if desired. The robot holds the glass or cup in one gripper while it pours from a bottle held in its other gripper. The robot might also move the cup to a dispenser for ice, beer, wine, juices or soda, as needed, before placing it on a drink delivery slide for customer pickup.

RoboBar E includes the robot, dispensers for beer, soda and juices, cups, and ice. A flat-panel video screen provides a selectable “personality” for your RoboBar. Customers can choose a male or female personality, with matching voice. The RoboBar personality can be customized to provide information on a company or products, or humorous quips.

ROBOBAR NA
Operating much like the RoboBar E model, Motoman offers a RoboBar NA (No Alcohol) version designed to dispense hot coffee drinks, such as coffee, espressos, cappuccinos, and lattes, as well as a variety of soft drinks, such as sodas, juices and other non-alcoholic beverages. However, since no proof of legal drinking age is required for non-alcoholic beverage purchases, RoboBar NA does not require use of a magnetic card scanner to authorize drink service.

ROBOBAR BENEFITS
RoboBar can work 24 hours a day, seven days a week without breaks, vacations, holidays, sick time (or hangovers). It always works at 100 percent efficiency and never asks for a raise. Electric power to operate all RoboBar models costs only about 30 cents an hour, dramatically reducing labor costs for bartending. The technology is proven and highly reliable. Reduced lost inventory due to mistakes, spills and over-pours also provides cost savings. Consistent pours and mix ratios result in better quality drinks. And RoboBar is never tempted to take some off the top. In addition, since RoboBar doesn’t require tips, customers can spend their money on more drinks and snacks. All this results in increased customer satisfaction – your ultimate goal.

The RoboBar E and NA models are available for purchase, lease, or event rental. The RoboBar HP model is available for purchase or lease only.

For more information on this story, or about Motoman products and services, call 937.847.6200,
write to: Motoman Inc., 805 Liberty Lane, West Carrollton, Ohio, USA 45449; or e-mail Motoman: info@motoman.com.