In conversation with Mark Oleynik, developer of the world’s first robot chef
Add a little more butter to the soup, a little salt and then stir, stir, stir. Yes, cooking can be exhausting, takes time and requires knowledge. But not everyone has these things. And British businessman Mark Oleynik is one of the people who doesn’t, as he admits in our chat. But he also wants to eat well without having to go to a restaurant. So Oleynik, who studied computer science and later health management in St. Petersburg, founded the company Moley Robotics. His goal: to develop the world’s first robot chef. The two-armed robot celebrated its premiere at the Hannover Messe 2015, the most significant industrial trade fair on an international scale, where it created quite a stir. Equipped with 129 sensors, 24 joints and 20 motors, the “Robotic Kitchen” precisely imitates the movements taught to it beforehand by British star chef Tim Anderson when preparing shrimp soup. When the robot chef is launched on the market, more than 2,000 recipes will be available to choose from via an app. Mark Oleynik’s stated goal is to bring the next industrial revolution to the homes of average consumers with the Robotic Kitchen. “It’s not just a device that saves work,” Oleynik stresses. “It is a platform for our creativity. It can even teach us how to become better cooks.”
How did you come up with the idea of the robot chef? Do you hate cooking so much, or do you love it?
Mark Oleynik: I’d love to cook, but I don’t know how to cook. At the same time I like to eat healthy and diverse food. So that was a main trigger for me to create a universal device which can cook any type of dish you want for you – and in the highest quality. What can a professional French chef cook? Amazing French cuisine. What can a Japanese chef cook? Delicious Japanese food. What can a Robotic Kitchen make? Any of those and many more: executed from the iTunes-style recipe library and with the best quality and taste.
You studied computer and network technology and subsequently healthcare management. What does that have to do with robotics – particularly for the kitchen?
M.O.: Computer science is a general knowledge which opens a gate to the “basis” of the technological world. Concerning healthcare management, I was one of the organisers and creators of a technologically advanced medical institution in Russia. The field of Medical Technology is highly sophisticated, unlike the standard hospital. Hence, my role was to work in various areas of the Medical Engineering field, including information technology, automation, etc. This experience of managing processes enabled me to create the Robotic Kitchen project. From the robotic development to the software and safety features, the Robotic Kitchen is like a small factory, the final product of which depends on the integration of numerous technical parts.
When will we be seeing your robot chef in normal household kitchens?
M.O.: We foresee the first sales of the ‘MK1’ Robotic Kitchen in 2018 priced at $75,000. The future price of the Robotic Kitchen will be reduced to $35,000 in the year 2021. We aim to sell the technology to the normal household and individuals, for those who are busy at work, but want to eat fresh and healthy food. We are targeting 17 countries, starting with the UK, the European and US markets before moving to Asia later on.
Can I as a user teach the robot things myself, such as my favourite recipes?
M.O.: Not in the first version. But the MK2 – on sale in 2019 – will feature special digital capturing systems built into the kitchen cabinet, enabling users to record themselves cooking a favourite recipe and uploading the recipe to the digital library. You can then enjoy your favourite meal at any time, cooked by the robot with the same preparation process and final result.
Would it not be really smart if the robot did the shopping too – or are you already working on that as well?
M.O.: My next big project is to create an android robot which looks like a human. This robot will be very functional and be able to perform various household tasks, from cleaning to shopping. Featuring the same concept of transferring the Human IP, this robot will also be able do creative things such as painting like Picasso or playing piano like Beethoven. Most importantly, the robot will perform tasks which humans can’t do to the highest level, hence opening a broader sector of “to-do” opportunities at home.
Who do you see as a user of this android robot?
M.O.: As I said before, my final idea is to create an android robot which can perform multiple tasks in the home. This “universal robot” is essential in each home, as it can provide the unique services and products that a user can’t implement on their own. Secondly, the robot can release a person from performing routine tasks, thus giving additional time for more creative pursuits. Why not create a humanoid robot now? Because creating such a robot would be very expensive and technologically difficult. Nevertheless, the Robotic Kitchen is the first step towards the creation of this robot. Not only is it designed with all safety features and with various technologies integrated into the system, but our idea is to make it affordable for every family and adaptable to each household before we move on to the next step.
What makes your robot so smart, and what do you think a “Smart System” actually is?
M.O.: The robot has access to the knowledge, skills and experience of an unlimited number of people and can transfer this knowledge to your kitchen. This we refer to as transferring “Human IP”. The robot features an intellectual product, initially created by the human and for every human individually, to cater to your own tastes and requirements. The transfer of intellectual property, designed to meet the particular needs of each individual, makes the Moley robot far more intelligent than most robots with quite limited algorithmic capabilities. Another feature of a system is that it will be automatically updated in all the kitchens.
What role do electronics play in such systems?
M.O.: Both electronics and software are important, enabling it to fulfil the exact cooking process with an identical finished dish result every time. The electronics track the exact movements and the software sets the cooking parameters.
What technological developments are the key enablers for Smart Systems?
M.O.: The architecture of the Robotic Kitchen, with all its components and the main functionality algorithm are the most important developments. That’s it, kitchen components exist or can exist independently as normal devices, whereas the Robotic Kitchen features a unique concept of universal cooking technology, enabling you to cook anything you want at the highest quality.
Can Smart Systems really be developed by a single company? You worked with Shadow Robots to create your robot chef …
M.O.: I always say that success in any project depends on the competence of its partners. The same thing is applicable to the Robotic Kitchen. We are working with the most proficient partners, who have great experience and lots of expertise in their fields.
Smart Systems are said to offer exciting opportunities for small businesses in particular. Can you give start-ups any tips on how to turn an idea into an actual product?
M.O.: There is not a universal algorithm for how to bring an idea “to life”. In my opinion, governments should create infrastructures for innovative start-ups. Unfortunately, it takes lots of steps and a huge effort to bring an idea to life. And usually, when you come to investors with a pitch, no one will talk to you until you’ve put your idea into the physical form of a prototype. So the government should provide support and guidance to start-ups, completing all the steps from patenting to financing and finding technological support. Featuring future progress and making a real lifestyle change for millions of people, start-up projects have to gain government support at an early stage.
Many people are scared at the idea of robots in the home; it invokes too many thoughts of the “Terminator”. How can that fear be eliminated?
M.O.: People are scared of robots because of the way they look and their quite fearsome movements. We revised these “robotic clichés” in our technology. The Robotic Kitchen cooks with the speed and style of a human and looks like a human (the robotic hand is actually derived from a human hand); further work is planned concerning the colour of the arms and hands and design of the entire kitchen unit, making it look balanced and trustworthy. Finally, the most important thing for the robot is to be familiar and friendly to humans, especially in such an intimate and individual zone as a kitchen.
What do you imagine a really “smart” world will be like – and when will it happen?
M.O.: I think we are already on the way. In an ideal world, people would be released from performing routine algorithmic tasks which machines can perform better and with a higher level of efficiency, hence enabling humans to dedicate more time to family, work and hobbies. This change is already visible in our daily lives, for example the creation of automatic online ticket and hotel search engines. Again, by freeing a human from such algorithmic tasks, we leave room for more creativity, better education and a better quality of life.
(picture credits: Moley Robotics Archieve)
