Futuristic kitchen uses robotic arms to rustle up lobster bisque for panel of chefs
A cyber chef that could give Gordon Ramsey a run for his money has been created by inventors in Islington.
Digital hands created by the Shadow Robot Company in Liverpool Road have been tested by NASA and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) for tasks like disarming bombs and cleaning up radioactive waste. But now the space-aged arms are trying their hand at Michelin starred food.
The smart phone-controlled robotic cook has been rustling up dishes such as lobster bisque using recipes downloaded to an online app, and its creators believe it will change the culinary world.
Nick Singer, 72, director at Shadow Robot Company, said: “It copies every action that the chef makes.
“Even the way they stir the pan is copied by the robot so that the whole thing is a complete master chef approach.
“I think it’s going to be an attraction to restaurants that want to cook at the highest level and have really good, repeatable menus.
“The robot chef never gets tired, he will have a repeatable product that really is first class.”
After 17 years of hard work Shadow Robots has created the most advanced robot hands in the world and received £500,000 from American firm Moley Robotics in January as part of a trade and investment deal struck between Barak Obama and David Cameron.
Driven by motors in the forearm, the robotic limbs can replicate all the fine movement in the human hand and are fitted with sensors giving them precise control.
While its latest use was perhaps not what the world leaders had in mind, the cyber chef’s cooking comes highly recommended.
“It’s only been used for one demonstration at the moment – lobster bisque, which is apparently a very difficult dish to cook well, said Mr Singer.
“Chefs that tasted the sample that was handed out in Germany were very impressed.
“This sort of application could be pretty attractive to celebrity chefs. It might even give McDonalds a run for their money too.”
The company say the device would cost no more than £10,000 and will be available in 2018.
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