LG Electronics Adds Cooking Robots to Family Restaurant VIPS

Added ChefBot to 3 Branches This Week
Applying Motion Control Technology for Direct Noodle Production

‘LG CLOi Chefbot’ working at Deungchon branch, the first Vips location in Gangseo-gu, Seoul

[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] LG Electronics is expanding the application of the ‘LG CLOi Chefbot,’ a cooking robot, at the family restaurant ‘VIPS’ operated by CJ Foodville.

LG Electronics announced on the 29th that by the end of this week, CLOi Chefbots will be introduced at VIPS Gwangcheon Branch in Gwangju, Bisan Branch in Anyang, and Arts Center Station Branch in Incheon. Previously, the CLOi Chefbot was first introduced at VIPS’s first store, Deungchon Branch, at the end of last year.

LG Electronics and CJ Foodville are expanding the introduction of robots so that CLOi robots handle dangerous or simple and repetitive cooking tasks in restaurants, allowing staff to focus more on providing customers with more valuable experiences and services. In addition to the CLOi Chefbot, they are also considering the additional introduction of the ‘LG CLOi Servebot,’ an autonomous robot that delivers food.

The two companies are jointly developing robot solutions that can be utilized in restaurants by applying the experience gained from operating Chefbots and Servebots at CJ Foodville stores to product development.

The cooking robot CLOi Chefbot is responsible for making noodles directly. When customers put the desired ingredients in a bowl at the noodle corner and hand it to the Chefbot, the Chefbot boils the noodle ingredients in hot water. It then scoops out the boiled ingredients, shakes off the water, puts them back into the bowl, and pours broth to complete the dish.

LG Electronics applied motion control technology, developed through detailed research of chefs’ movements to enable the Chefbot to move like an actual chef, and smart tool changer technology that automatically switches various types of cooking utensils according to the cooking sequence, to the CLOi Chefbot.

No Jin-seo, Executive Vice President and Head of LG Electronics’ Robot Business Center, said, “CLOi robots are getting closer to customers’ daily lives as they are introduced in more stores,” and added, “We will continue to strive to provide customers with differentiated value through LG Electronics’ advanced robot technology.”