Robot-Operated Cafes Set for Launch at Hospitality Sites

Nevada-based robotics company Richtech Robotics has announced a new project to launch robot-operated cafes in hospitals, airports and colleges.

The project is part of a joint venture between Richtech and hospital food chain Zipphaus and proposes the rollout of a robotic beverage system, Adam, in customer-facing locations.

Adam is an interactive two-armed robot that works as a barista and food server. The robot has been deployed at Botbar, a robot-run coffee shop in New York and at boba tea restaurant Cloutea in Las Vegas. Adam also showcased its drink-making capabilities at CES and the recent Google Cloud Next conference.

The companies said they aim to establish Adam-operated flagship cafes in at least two locations at major hospitals as initial launch points, before expanding to additional sites. 

Together, the companies will form Zipphaus Plus, established with a specific focus on rolling Adam out.

“This joint venture represents a significant step forward in our mission to revolutionize the service industry through collaborative robotics,” said Matt Casella, Richtech’s president. “By combining Richtech’s innovative robots with Zipphaus’ proven cafe management expertise, we are confident that Zipphaus Plus will deliver an exceptional customer experience while enhancing operational efficiency.” 

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Richtech will provide and maintain the AI-powered Adam service robots, while Zipphaus will bring its cafe management expertise to the partnership.

"As pioneers in the service industry, we see immense potential in this partnership with Richtech," said Lina Lee, Zipphaus Plus’ CEO. “Together, we hope to redefine customer service standards and drive operational efficiency through our respective experience and management acumen."