No. 130: A robot system to help making a simple dish (August 12, 2010)

A research team under the initiative of two university professors in Tokyo developed a system that multiple small robots collaborate to help making a simple dish. Named Cookie, the system interfaces with an induction heating cooking device. Small robots add foodstuffs and mix the bowl in accordance with predetermined procedure. The user only needs to make preparations and give instructions. The system is made up of an interface that allows the user to change the cooking procedure and timing easily as he wishes depending on his needs, visual markers to mark the spots, a web camera, an induction heating cooking device, special plates, and a PC. The user needs to select the dish he wishes to cook among registered dishes. After putting the foodstuffs on the designated special plates, he needs to put the visual marker that responds to each foodstuff to each special plate. The research team plans to expand the application to cover more complicated dishes and even household chores.