makr shakr robotic bartender by MIT senseable lab + carlo ratti

‘makr shakr’ robotic bartender by MIT senseable lab + carlo ratti associati

researchers at the MIT senseable city lab have collaborated with the coca-cola company and bacardí rums, to design a robotic bar tending system known as the ‘makr shakr’, which allows users to create real-time personalized cocktail recipes using a smart phone app, transforming them into crowd-sourced drink combinations. to use ‘makr shakr’, one must download the software onto their handheld devices, which allows them to create both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink combinations from a touchscreen-operated beverage dispenser, with more than 100 drink choices. the cocktails are then shaken up by three robotic arms, whose movements – shown on a large display positioned behind the bar – mimic the actions of a bartender, from the shaking of a martini to the thin slicing of a lemon garnish.

‘makr shakr is a great example of how digital technologies are changing the interaction between people and products – a topic that our laboratory has been exploring in great depth,’ says carlo ratti, director of the MIT senseable city lab. the installation can monitor among others, alcohol consumption and blood alcohol levels – something beyond what a traditional bartender can do.

makr shakr robotic bartender by MIT senseable lab + carlo ratti associativideo courtesy MyBossWas

the mixology system allows users to create real-time personalized cocktail recipes using a smart phone app

to create an engaging bar experience, the robots’ movements were modeled on the gestures of roberto bolle, étoile dancer at the la scala opera house in milan and principal dancer with the american ballet theater, along with italian director and choreographer marco pelle. bolle’s movements were filmed and used as input for the programming of the robots.

the system allows users to create both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink combinations from a touchscreen-operated beverage dispenser

the cocktails are shaken up by three robotic arms

the robotic movements mimic the actions of a bartender, from the shaking of a martini to the thin slicing of a lemon garnish

instead of trying to replace a bartender with a robot, ‘makr shakr’ aims to be a social experiment that looks at how people might embrace the new possibilities offered by digital manufacturing. here, social connections are woven throughout the co-creation and mixing of ingredients, which are then fed back to the user through the app. with this new technology, consumers can learn from each other, sharing connections, recipes and photos on social networks.in addition, the large-scale device utilizes the new touchscreen-operated coca-cola freestyle beverage dispenser, which offers more than 100 drink choices.

‘makr shakr’ serves as a social experiment that looks at how people might embrace the new possibilities offered by digital manufacturing