The helping hand of a robot in the catering industry or as a coffee assistant

News | February 3, 2021

'Can robots lend a hand in the hospitality industry' was the question from the client for the student team 'Wijnig wrong mee' at Windesheim University of Applied Sciences in Zwolle. 
During the Engineering and Design Business Project Week, various assignments for the business community were carried out in one week by second-year students from the Industrial Engineering, Logistics Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Engineering courses.

The students worked multidisciplinary in two competing groups, each consisting of six students, taking into account the required expertise.

First collaboration with Windesheim University of Applied Sciences
For Innovatiecluster Drachten it was the first collaboration with Windesheim University of Applied Sciences.
The call to the business community was 'do you have a technical issue for which the time is lacking within your organization or for which you need a fresh look? The focus is on sustainability and the factory of the future.
From Innovatiecluster Drachten 2 assignments were given by Philips Drachten and Beenen.

Project team 'Wijnig wrong mee' showed in a well-founded online presentation the possibilities of how you can make the arm suitable for pouring and handing over wine or champagne glasses with an attachment for the UR5 cobot.

It looked at how the wine or champagne can be poured and how the amount can be determined. How does the robotic hand grip the bottle or glass and how does the hand know the location of the glass?
Three different structures were then highlighted by the team and the final product was presented in 3D.

'It is very nice that the study has been used and that you have studied the various options', says Eric Sloots of client Philips Drachten. He complimented the students on the elaboration, beautiful sketches and the creative solution!

Ur5 cobot
UR5 cobot

Curious if we will see this robot again at an opening or event.

teamwork
'We didn't know each other, we had several opinions, but we quickly agreed on a good division of tasks, which led to collaboration with a good result.' Thus Stef de Jonge, Thomas Kolsters, Stan Bruins, Bernd Schuitert, Ayoub Maagoul and Jip de Kam.

Thanks to Philips Drachten, Eric Sloot (client from Innovatiecluster Drachten)
Supervisor Windesheim: Tom de Vries
Jury: Egon van der Veer (director of Domain Technology Windesheim), Harwin Reemeijer (Vitens), Thom Verwater (Beenen), Leonie Zwiers and Joost Krebbekx (ICD)

Coffee with ease, served by a 'coffee assistant'

Work more efficiently while enjoying a cup of coffee
Order your coffee from behind your desk and let the robot serve you, that's the idea behind 'the coffee assistant'. You will receive your cup of coffee neatly from a smart coaster at the touch of a button. Smart and efficient. You can work without wasting time walking back and forth to a coffee machine or coffee corner.

The jury was still a bit concerned about the temperature of the coffee. But the students at Windesheim University of Applied Sciences indicated that the robot delivers a maximum of 4 cups and chooses the most efficient route. Your coffee will then stay warm, even when you are sitting at the back of the building.

Through WiFi, you can communicate with the robot and your order for a coffee with milk and sugar is passed on and the robot immediately takes a cappuccino for your colleague. And he can do all this without spilling.

Omron Techman TM
Omron Techman TM

The financial picture was clearly mapped out, but whether the costs outweigh the benefits remains to be seen. However, it is possible to work more efficiently.

Compliments from Joost Krebbekx, ICD, 'it looks sleek and beautiful', he says. The multidisciplinary set-up is also clearly visible. 

Thanks to:
Students from Windesheim University of Applied Sciences: Niels Ekkel, Bart Gerritsen, Justin Treep, Dennick Kok, Jordy Verberne, Marc van 't Hul
Client from Innovatiecluster Drachten: Beenen, Thom Verwater
Supervisor Windesheim: Geert Heideman
Jury: Eric Sloot (Philips), Anne-Jaap Deinum (FME), Geert Heideman, Richard Rosing, Leonie Zwiers, Joost Krebbekx (ICD)