robot barista brews coffee at san francisco's cafe x

coffee robot: according to wikipedia, over 2.25 billion cups or coffee are served and consumed in the world every day. whether you prefer it dark, with milk or caramel, the art of making coffee requires precision and an ample knowledge of the way the roaster is intended. coffee is also a versatile drink that can be taken early in the morning as you rush to work or later in the afternoon as you sip a cup with a group of friends. first opened in hong kong, the robot-operated ‘cafe x’ is now venturing to san francisco with the intention of supplying those in a hurry with a quick and yet perfect cup of coffee.

take a look at the barista robot serving cups of coffee
all images and video courtesy of cafe x

created by henry hu, cafe x is a system designed for humans and robots to collaborate. smart robotics and machine learning working autonomously allow the kiosk’s operations team to focus on sourcing and using fresh ingredients, maintaining extremely high hygiene standards, and ensuring a great customer experience with each interaction. you can order your coffee directly through an app or the iPad placed at the window. choose from three different kinds of beans and syrup and follow-up with the payment. once received, the coffee robot will start making your beverage which will be delivered after 20 seconds.

‘we spend countless hours working closely with our coffee roaster partners to source the best ingredients, calibrate our equipment, and create beverage configurations,’ says cafe x. ‘the end result is that each coffee served to our customer tastes the way the roaster intended.’

the kiosk is a white rounded structure with a glass window that allows the consumer to take a look at the process

if you are interested in robots serving drinks, see designboom’s coverage of carlo ratti’s robotic bartenders here. 

people wait in line to see the coffee robot and get their drink

cafe x just opened in san francisco at the metreon shopping center