Vending

Moscow university develops healthy food vending robot

Image provided by the National University of Science and Technology in Moscow.

November 24, 2021

The National University of Science and Technology in Moscow has teamed with Karfidov Lab to develop a working prototype of a vending machine for preparing healthy dishes, according to a press release. The device cooks dishes from vegetables and cereals in 30 to 60 seconds.

The Salatomat vending machine occupies two square meters and can be loaded with 16 basic ingredients — vegetables, cereals, potatoes, noodles and 20 dressings and toppings. The machine can cook up to 1,000 different dishes.

"The process of cooking by the robot begins with the preparation of products — thermal and ultraviolet processing, cutting vegetables, stabilizing the temperature, cooling or heating, depending on the dish," Aleksey Karfidov, head of the NUST MISIS department of technological equipment engineering and co-founder and general designer of Karfidov Lab, said in the press release.

All cooking processes are carried out without human intervention.

All ingredients inside Salatomat containers are pre-conditioned and hygienically sealed. Products can be stored in containers for a maximum of eight hours, and if not used, must be disposed of.

The device will cost 1.4 million rubles ($19,000).

Image courtesy of the National University of Science and Technology in Moscow.