Page 22 - Food & Drink Magazine October 2019

DAIRY PROCESSING
Trio of cobots scoop world-first
Industry 4.0 delivers retail engagement – and it doesn’t get much cooler than cobots serving you in a Melbourne ice cream bar. Lindy Hughson went behind the scenes at the world-first retail execution to sample wares delivered by the revolutionary technology.
COLLABORATIVE robots (cobots) have begun to make their mark on manufacturing floors, and now they have entered the retail domain.
In a world-first, robotic retail technology pioneer Niska has brought to the Australian market an interactive retail experience that incorporates cutting edge robotics and artificial intelligence technology. The store opened in Melbourne on 17 September.
The project, three years in the making, saw Niska collaborate with robotics companies ABB, KUKA and Soft Bank Robotics; engineering company Special Patterns; UNSW; and Phosphor.
Consulting on the robotics technology was Greg Sale, director of consulting firm Manufacturing, Technology & Marketing.
Braeside-based engineering company Special Patterns’ robotics division designed and manufactured the units installed in the store and brought the robot bar to life.
“What’s not exciting about robots and ice cream?” Sale quipped during our sneak peek before its official opening.
Sale showcased the in-store experience, demonstrating how the cobots harness advanced technology to create an innovative experience.
He said this is the first time the three distinctive cobot technologies are working alongside each other. The first in line is the concierge cobot, called Pepper, developed by Japanese company Soft Bank.
“The customer places their order with Pepper, the ice cream is scooped by the Kuka
LBR iiwa cobot [named Eka], and the toppings are placed on the ice cream by ABB’s Yumi cobot. Yumi [Tony] also dispenses water and chocolate bars, which are an option that customers can select when they order,” Sale explains, stressing the process is fully robotic from end to end.
Apart from the obvious novelty factor, there is a clear business strategy behind the concept.
Niska CEO and co-founder Kate Orlova said that she and her business partner Anton Morus had previously run a chocolate manufacturing facility where people could come along and watch the manufacturing process.
They experienced first hand the challenges of being a small business operator, spending too
much time hands-on, with too little time to think about business growth.
In developing this automated and autonomously-operated run ice cream bar, they believe they have found a different way of running a business that frees up the owner to have a better quality of working life.
“This ice cream bar is a solution that creates a new type of occupation for business owners, as well as providing a better solution for franchising chains in Australia – but we see this project [rolling out] on a global scale as well,” she says.
The business owner can run everything from smart devices, she explains, and will be able to choose when to visit the store. Everything is automated, including stock ordering.
“It frees up the business owner to be creative, to spend time with customers getting their feedback while the store operates autonomously. You can work on the business rather than in the business,” she says.
Sale adds: “This is not just theatre, it is potentially a very profitable business.”
Orlova says that, for Niska, ice-cream is just the beginning: the company is looking to expand the robotics into other areas of retail. If the concept proves a success, there is potential for global franchising with the technology exported from Australia.
Niska’s ice cream bar is now open and located at Tenancy
22 | Food&Drink business | October 2019 | www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au