FingerVision will exhibit food-serving robots that are already in operation at multiple factories at FOOMA JAPAN 2024, to be held at Tokyo Big Sight (2024.06.04 - 2024.06.07). We will be unveiling the serving robot in a way that makes it easy to envisage in situ, including actual robot demonstrations and in-booth seminars.
Features of food-serving robot with tactile sensor
The food for bento boxes and other items come in many varieties, are amorphous, and break easily, making it difficult to automate their handling with robots. Our robot system, utilizing tactile sensing, has surpassed this barrier and achieved automated plating.
By equipping the robot with a haptic function, it can detect slip when handling food, and can easily arrange various food without dropping them. A camera is installed on the top of the robot, which can grasp bulk food in containers in the optimal order, recognize trays and cups flowing on a conveyor, and correct their misalignment. Typical food types include rolled omellete, fried chicken, hamburgers, dumplings, fried fish cakes, fried shrimp, croquettes, and sushi rolls.
FingerVision places a thorough emphasis on practicality in factories and on-site settings, and is particular about hygiene, safety, and ease of use. For example, the robot’s hands, which come into direct contact with food, are made of materials that comply with food sanitation regulations, and because they can be removed with a single touch, they can be easily cleaned and rinsed regularly.
In addition, many customers use robots to automate partial plating tasks on plating lines in a hybrid setup with people. By moving the robot, it is possible to arrange it flexibly according to the production plan. You can easily change the setup of robot hands when changing food types.
The handling of sushi rolls requires an optimal touch
While there is a strong need for automation as this process requires a lot of manpower, it is also one of the most technically difficult food types to handle. The reason is that both the rice and the other food in rolled sushi are soft. If too much pressure is applied, the food will fall out, while on the other hand, if too little pressure is applied, the seaweed will stick to the robot hands. Due to these characteristics, the precise degree of pressure needs to be applied. Humans have the ability to do this naturally and intuitively, and FingerVision’s robot hands are able to recreate this ability during the automated handling of not only sushi, but also other similar food types. (Details in the video below)
Exhibition information
During the FOOMA session, seminars will be held at the booth (East 7J-09) from 1:00 pm every day. We also plan to conduct a demonstration for about 5 minutes every hour in which trays are passed down a conveyor line and multiple robots serve individual foods item on the tray. Please come and visit us.
■Live demo
During the exhibition period from 06/04 to 06/07, we will be demonstrating how to arrange food items on trays flowing on a conveyor during the following times.
■Demonstration time
Held every day from June 4th (Tuesday) to June 7th (Friday)
From 10:00, from 11:00, from 12:00, from 13:00, from 14:00, from 15:00, from 16:00
Collaborative demonstration of automated line by Ishida + Yaskawa Electric + FingerVision
At this FOOMA2024, we will be exhibiting an automated line that combines a pasta measuring machine and a fried chicken plating robot at the Ishida Co., Ltd. booth (East Hall 6, Booth No. 6P-69).
Please come and see this demonstration, which combines the very latest technology and products!
