Hyperactive Technologies Inc. began on a bad day at a drive-through window. Kerien Fitzpatrick, a Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute graduate, sat in his car waiting, and waiting, for his “fast” food. By the time it arrived, it was cold and Fitzpatrick had a better idea.
The fast-food world, with its limited menu, was the perfect environment for a robot that could predict the flow of food traffic, thereby cutting costs while serving food that was fresh and hot, Fitzpatrick figured. Together with partner Dr. R. Craig Coulter, also of CMU, “Hyperactive Bob” was born.
Technically speaking, Bob is more of a control panel with touch screen than a kitchen droid. He stands on the roof of restaurants, watching traffic enter the parking lot; he tracks real-time sales, makes predictions about what people will buy and tells the cooks exactly what to cook and when to cook it. The technology is the first of its kind and is already igniting grills and fryers across the country.
"The restaurant is the robot," explains Coulter, who worked a fast-food grill for six months while designing the system. "It's overwhelming, the crush of orders that can come in all at once. It lightens the load and reduces the stress."
“The power is in our ability to track and analyze a range of variables in real-time," explains Julie Lunardini, marketing specialist for the six-year-old company located in Greentree’s Foster Plaza. "The same amount of food is being cooked but instead of food sitting around, the cooking process is spread out over time.”
The company’s systems are presently installed in about 115 Zaxby’s restaurants in the southeast with pilot Bobs operating in at least two other chains.
Writer: Debra Diamond Smit
Source: Dr. R. Craig Coulter, Julie Lunardini, Hyperactive Technologies
Image courtesy of Hyperactive Technologies