Initiatives / Smart Systems & Robotics
Robot Bartender
An end-to-end autonomous bartender system that freshly prepares your favourite cocktails, mocktails, and beer using a robot arm.
- Program
- Smart Systems & Robotics
- Status
- Production
- Project leads
- Sam Butel, Rahul Mudaliar, Vignesh Guruparan
- Supported by
- Faculty of Engineering, KegLand, Last St Brewery, East Coast Beverages
Overview
The Robot Bartender project builds upon last year's iteration, adding the ability to produce cocktails and mocktails, as well as automated beer pouring using a bottom-filling system. The project employed a wide variety of skills, ranging from KUKA arm and motor control, 3D printing and machining fabrication, software and UI integration, to woodworking and welding.
Events
Robot Bartender has been invited to several Monash and Faculty events to serve mocktails throughout the year, with running costs fully funded by the Faculty. These included Orientation Week, Open Day, the Dean's Lunch and other faculty-run events, in both indoor and outdoor locations.
How a drink is made
Robot Bartender features an in-house built table, with a metal frame welded to support and uplift the KUKA iiwa robot arm. The layout has been designed to optimise the efficiency of the central arm.
The user selects a drink through our UI
Recipe information is sent via a Raspberry Pi to the robot controller
The arm collects ice from a custom-built automatic ice dispenser
It path-plans around the table, dispensing juices, cordials and spirits according to your request
It closes the shaker lid through our custom PCB and linear actuator circuitry, and initiates the shaking sequence
Finally, the arm uses precision timing to pour your drink
Running parallel to the robot arm, our beer gantry system automatically dispenses both cups and beer. The beer is chilled and routed using KegLand equipment.
Sponsors
Robot Bartender has acquired sponsorship for its equipment and many of its events, including the KegLand equipment used for the automated beer gantry system, the array of cordials and syrups from Last St Brewery, and the variety of juices from East Coast Beverages.
