In the food service industry, particularly in large chains, dishwashing is a time-consuming, labor-intensive task. Automation is essential to reduce the demand for human labor, increase efficiency, and address labor shortages. However, the wide variety of dishes and their greasy, slippery surfaces make it hard for traditional robots to handle them.
Yoshinoya and FingerVision are jointly developing a robot that tackles these challenges. Using advanced sensors that mimic human touch, the robot can grip different types of dishes without slipping. This automation cuts employee dish-handling time by 45%, allowing staff to focus on more important tasks like food preparation. Initial trials in actual restaurants have shown the robot's effectiveness, and the project aims to expand automation within the industry.
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