Mixing the perfect drink could soon be as easy as pushing a few buttons.
A U.S. startup has launched the Somabar, a US$430 robot bartender that can create simple mixed drinks selected by the user via the device's accompanying app in five seconds.
It could help busy bartenders in restaurants or be used to mix drinks for airplane passengers.
Users select a drink of their choice, which prompts a pair of robotic arms to prepare the appropriate ingredients from six different airtight containers of alcohol and mixers and one container of bitters.
The containers, or Soma Pods, can be easily removed and stored for chilling in a refrigerator.
There are also controls that enable users to determine how light or strong they want their drink to be. Drinks are selected via a smartphone app, which connects to the device via a Wi-Fi connection. It can make roughly 300 different kinds of drinks.
The machine mixes the right amount of ingredients using a combination of fluid dynamics, kinetic energy, and turbulence created by static vanes, the company noted.
The Somabar has a self-cleaning feature that automatically turns on at the end of every use.