Robotics

Vending machine robot makes fresh salad to order

Vending machine robot makes fresh salad to order
Sally the Salad Robot creates thousands of different salad combinations on demand
Sally the Salad Robot creates thousands of different salad combinations on demand
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Sally uses a series of canisters to hold ingredients
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Sally uses a series of canisters to hold ingredients
Sally the Salad Robot creates thousands of different salad combinations on demand
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Sally the Salad Robot creates thousands of different salad combinations on demand
Sally uses a touch screen interface
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Sally uses a touch screen interface
Sally offers a number of signature salads
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Sally offers a number of signature salads
Sally provides calorie information about each salad
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Sally provides calorie information about each salad
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Robots are not only flipping burgers, now they're making salads. Redwood, California-based food robotics company Chowbotics has unveiled Sally the Salad Robot, which uses up to 21 seasonal ingredients to produce individual, bespoke green salads on demand in thousands of combinations in under a minute.

Salads are healthy and refreshing, but they do take a bit of work to assemble properly and the supermarket variety often seem to grow old as soon as the cellophane is put on. Also, many eating establishments don't have the budget to employ proper salad-making crews or offer freshly made salads late at night.

Measuring 31.7 by 33.2 in (80.5 by 84.3 cm), Sally is essentially a smart vending machine. Inside its rounded green, white, and matte black case, it holds a series of patented canisters containing fresh ingredients, including lettuce, chopped onions, tomatoes, and olives, as well as various dressings and toppings.

Sally uses a series of canisters to hold ingredients
Sally uses a series of canisters to hold ingredients

After a bowl is placed in the dispensing slot, the touch screen interface is used to select either from a menu of signature salads created by Chowbotics Executive Chef Charlie Ayers, or to create custom combinations. Sally then dispenses the ingredients one by one and the salad is ready to eat. It also provides calorie information about each salad.

The only drawback is that the machine does not chop or otherwise prep the ingredients, so the proprietor must do so or order them pre-chopped from a vendor.

Now available for pre-orders with a price of US$30,000, Sally has already been installed at the Galvanize shared workspace in San Francisco and is aimed at cafeterias, restaurants, hotels and other commercial venues.

The video below introduces Sally the Salad Robot.

Source: Chowbotics

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2 comments
2 comments
Bob Flint
Interesting idea and although separating the ingredients may keep them fresher/crispy as compared once all together. The bonus of selecting what you want, but not being able to see the freshness of all the ingredients you could end up still having the wilted lettuce mixed with everything else. How often are these tubes restocked, cleaned/sterilized etc....
ChairmanLMAO
The reason a vendor would buy a vending machine is because he is lazy. As if he is gonna stock it every day. And all it would take is missing it once and it's reputation is stained. I shouldn't say anything though, this is a product for dumb buyers with more money than brains.