A small coffee bar in Singapore has automated its business with a six-axis robot barista built with Intel parts. Crown Coffee founder and CEO Keith Tan is hoping that its success will allow expansion to more than 40 other locations. After that, it’s off to Japan and then the world. Unsurprisingly, the idea started over coffee when a couple of Intel employees were in his shop and he approached them with his plan. Named after his wife, Ella, the robot is powered by various Intel technologies such as Movidius and OpenVINO.
At the heart of Ella’s AI is a combination of Intel Xeon and Core processors. Tan notes how this is a perfect solution for places where retail space is extremely limited. It also serves as a contactless service, which is crucial during the current pandemic. The next time you’re out traveling, you just might spot Ella serving up a hot cup of joe.