Key Takeaways
- Aerospace engineer Omid Nakhjavani has developed a pizza robot named PZZA, designed for automation in pizza making.
- The engineering principles in rocket science align with food robotics, contributing to innovative designs like PZZA’s rectangular pizzas.
Andrew Simmons recently highlighted a new development in the world of food robotics on LinkedIn, featuring the PZZA robot. Designed by aerospace engineer Omid Nakhjavani, who has a background with NASA projects at Boeing, the PZZA automates processes like saucing, cheese addition, and baking. Nakhjavani has spent seven years perfecting this technology and aims to launch the robot commercially later this year.
Another notable project in this field is Stellar Pizza, created by former SpaceX engineer Benson Tsai. Stellar Pizza, a pizza robot integrated into a food truck, was acquired by Hanwha Foodtech in March. This company plans to develop a pizza chain utilizing Stellar’s innovative technology in both the United States and South Korea.
Additionally, Anjan Contractor, known for his work with NASA, developed a pizza 3D printing robot in the early 2000s, subsequently forming his startup, BeeHex, which specializes in robotic food printing systems. The trend of rocket scientists venturing into food robotics is not necessarily surprising; the foundational principles of mechanical engineering apply to both fields, and it appears that engineers also have a fondness for pizza.
Nakhjavani’s design choices for the PZZA, such as the decision to make rectangular and square pizzas, stem from practical efficiency considerations. For example, round pizzas often result in wasted space when it comes to packaging, hence the focus on shapes that optimize material use.
As food robotics continues to evolve, the intersection of engineering and culinary innovation promises to reshape how pizzas are made and served.
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