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At NAVER 1784 tower in South Korea, a unique Starbucks experience awaits customers as approximately 100 service robots are deployed to fulfill orders.
Starbucks Exploring the Concept of 1784: Naver’s Vision for the Future
Situated in the world’s largest robotics testbed and the headquarters of South Korean tech giant Naver in Seongnam, Interesting Engineering reported that this innovative approach not only streamlines operations but also serves as a platform for refining human-robot interactions.
The numerical designation “1784” holds dual significance, representing both the site’s lot number address, 178-4, and marking the advent of the first industrial revolution in 1784.
The tower serves as a testing site for the corporation’s progress in robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud services, demonstrating Naver’s commitment to turning concepts into practical innovations.
Naver describes 1784 as a reimagining of our lifestyles and workplaces, asserting that its cutting-edge technologies are integrated into the structure to enhance working conditions and propel us toward tomorrow.
The Naver 1784 Tower opened in Seongnam in 2022. It looks like a big hub where different technologies come together. One of the cool things there is Rookie, a robot that works as a delivery guy at places like Starbucks. The tower has 36 floors and is located on the southern edge of Seoul.
Every day, around 100 Rookie robots zoom around the building, delivering packages, coffee, and food to people. Naver is promoting Rookie, a self-driving robot without its own brain, as part of its service robot lineup.
These robots run on the AI, Robot, and Cloud (ARC) platform, which uses Naver Cloud and a 5G network to create a system where multiple robots can work together intelligently. Equipped with wheels, Rookie has a storage compartment for carrying food, beverages, or other items to their destination.
‘NAVER 1784’ is the world’s largest robotics testbed. The Starbucks on the second floor of 1784 is the world’s most unique Starbucks, with more than 100 service robots called “Rookie” delivering Starbucks drinks to meeting rooms and private seats, and various experiments with a dual-arm robot. (Photo : NAVER LABS)
Robot Rookie Working With Ambidex
This robot is designed to seamlessly integrate with Naver’s Roboport, a specialized robot elevator that facilitates swift and efficient access to various floors. Working alongside Rookie is Ambidex, a dual-armed robot equipped with cutting-edge force transfer mechanisms that guarantee safe interactions with Starbucks customers.
Ambidex’s distinctive cable-driven design, engineered for accuracy and efficiency, allows it to manage heavy-duty tasks. Naver has concentrated its research endeavors on three primary areas within the realm of robotics.
These include enhancing the accessibility of service robots, fostering natural interactions between humans and robots, and advancing artificial intelligence for robotic applications.
The platform, leveraging high-precision data and innovative algorithms, aims to enable harmonious collaboration between humans and robots. Cloud computing is essential for this progress because it lets us control many robots simultaneously.
The company uses powerful cloud computers to do this, which helps cut down on the cost of making and maintaining the robots. This teamwork approach means the firm can manage many robots more effectively, which is a big deal for robotics.
