Japanese commuters can now drink their morning coffee from a fully automated barista Ella the robot, an IoT device from Singaporean startup Crown Digital, has been installed at stations in Tokyo and Yokohama for marketing tests through February 2022 in collaboration with JR East

Whether or not human hands are involved in the morning coffee, the efficiency of the new system is undeniable With an installation area of only 5 square meters and the accuracy to produce up to 200 cups of coffee per hour, the system saves a series of steps to the consumer Ella is not only faster than the traditional coffee shop experience, but also cheaper, at only $3 per cup

The machine itself consists of a Techman Robot autonomous arm, a Delonghi Japan coffee maker, and a recognition and cleaning system designed to detect spills and malfunctions In addition, a remote ordering and receiving interface minimizes contact between commuters and the barista

Of course, the rise of robots in the serving industry is not welcomed by all These machines are still in their infancy and are not inexpensive enough to become a fixture in our daily lives Nevertheless, negotiating the role of humans in food service will certainly be a necessary step as we move slowly toward a much more automated industry

Until robots take over, many of us will continue to rely on our best espresso machines to wake us up in the morning But if you need something a little more automated, we suggest checking out the best Nespresso and the best Keurig coffee makers for pod convenience