Charleston, SC— March 26, 2013— The parallels between outer space and robots goes as far back as the Jetson’s and their beloved Rosie, so it was only natural for the US Space and Rocket Center to launch the first Reis&Irvy’s Robotic Frozen Yogurt Kiosk in the state of Alabama. Now, after months of “top-secret” planning, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center is finally unveiling the kiosk to the public.

“We are very excited about the kiosk,” Said Amber Williams, Director of Merchandise at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center “We are always looking for new and exciting experiences to bring to our facility and the Robofusion kiosk provides our visitors with a truly unique experience.”

The kiosk, which serves a 12-ounce fresh frozen yogurt and toppings treat in 60 seconds, utilizes a state-of-the-art robot arm to do the bidding of the user. “In a setting like the U.S. Space and Rocket Center our kiosks become more than just a yogurt shop, they become another exhibit” Said Allan Jones, CEO of Robofusion Inc.

Although it still feels like the world of the Jetson’s is lightyears away, Robofusion is starting to show the world how humans can interact with robots in their daily lives, making self-serve a thing of the past. So for now, this is just one small step for Robofusion but one giant leap for robot-kind.

About Robofusion Robofusion, Inc. (http://www.robofusion.com/) is the leader in Interactive Robotic Kiosks. Robofusion takes the concept of self-service to a whole new level with their latest generation of kiosks. Customers can design their own 4-layer frozen yogurt treat with Reis&Irvy’s kiosks or 5-layer ice cream and toppings treat with their Robofusion Ice Cream kiosks and have a robot build it to their exact specifications. And, make them smile.

Reis is pronounced Reese…Like the Peanut Butter Cups.

Press Contact:
Nick Spahn
2300 Clements Ferry Road #204
Charleston, SC 29492 1.888.974.4442
Nick.Spahn@robofusion.com
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Excerpt: “Let junior design his own frozen treat with asia’s first and only robotic ice-cream kiosk. “

The Carnegie Science Center welcomes their newest addition to Robo World, the world’s largest permanent robot exhibit.  As the CSC proudly places Pittsburgh on the map once again, locals are treated to a tasty snack- Ice cream!  RoboFusion serves chocolate and vanilla soft serve with a topping of your choice.  For Paul, in the Center for Creativity, the obvious choice is vanilla with rainbow sprinkles.  But for visitors with more refined pallets, the robotic arm offers the many toppings including chocolate sprinkles, mini M&Ms, Reese’s Pieces, granola, and my favorite: Nerds!  Do make a stop at Robo World and experience the newest member of The Science Centers robot family!

Read full article from Centerforcreativity.net

We stumbled upon a very nice article about our Reis & Irvy’s Kiosks at the Carnegie Science Center. Excerpt of the article is below.

“The robot made the best yogurt in the whole wide world”, said Ethan Kreft, 3, of Stanton Heights, after watching the RoboFusion frozen yogurt robotic kiosk make him and his grandfather Rick Melton of Cabot a personal treat at the Carnegie Science Center Thursday, February 7, 2013. Heidi Murrin Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Natasha Nesbitt, 6, watched intently through the transparent booth doors as a robotic arm with a horseshoe-like hand prepared her frozen yogurt order, step-by-step: First, a layer of chocolate and vanilla yogurt swirl, then Reese’s Pieces, then another layer of yogurt, and finally a cap of Nerds candy.

After the robot fills the plastic cup, it places it on a platform. A window opens and — ta-da! — there’s your fro-yo.

“Ohhh!” exclaimed Natasha, of Forest Hills.

The Carnegie Science Center in the North Side has opened a RoboFusion frozen yogurt kiosk in its River View Cafe, which overlooks the Ohio River. Visitors can swipe their credit or debit cards for $6, then use a touch screen to design a four-layered frozen yogurt treat, with two flavors to pick out of chocolate, vanilla or swirl, and two toppings out of six: Mini M&Ms, Reese’s Pieces, granola, Nerds and chocolate or colored sprinkles.

Visitors choose an animated cartoon robot — either Cid, Reis, Rev or Irvy — to entertain them on a backing screen while the snakelike arm robot prepares the order.

Read full article from Triblive.com

Some businesses are coping with man power shortages with the help of some innovative technology. This robotic ice cream kiosk is just one example. With the touch of the few buttons, customers can have their own ice cream and toppings.

Watch Video

 From Channel 8

Asia’s first robotic ice cream kiosk is now in Singapore. The machine is available around the clock and could produce 50 cups of ice cream per hour, which is twice the usual manual operation.

Watch Video

Well, wonder no more. If you want a taste of tomorrow, go check out Asia’s first and only robotic ice cream kiosk at City Square Mall. Developed by Robofusion®Inc., the interactive kiosk allows customers to design their own ice cream by simply touching a few buttons. Watch in awe as your ice cream is prepared right in front of you and delivered to you by the robot arm.

The kiosk is located at Basement 2 of City Square Mall (near Toys’R’Us/Baby’R’Us). There will be two ice cream flavours and six different kinds of toppings to choose from. Up to 40 ice cream flavours and toppings will be added subsequently.

With an introductory promotion, each serving is at $5/450g instead of $6/450g for two ice cream flavours and three toppings. The user-friendly kiosk is so easy to use that even your three year old can operate it.

Several payment modes are available at the kiosk. Customers can choose to pay by cash, ez-link card, VISA/Master, Robofusion® prepaid card or the new NFC SIM card payment. DBS customers will also enjoy 20% off the price.

** End **

About City Square Mall
City Square Mall is Singapore’s first eco-mall, located at the junction of Serangoon Road and Kitchener Road. Owned and managed by City Developments Limited, the mall has some 200 tenants that cater to the lifestyle needs of everyone in the family. Connected to Farrer Park MRT station, City Square Mall is one of the largest malls in Singapore with 700,000 sq ft of gross retail space, offering the perfect setting for the community to shop and play while acquiring an eco-learning experience.

City Square Mall is Singapore’s first shopping mall to be awarded the Green Mark Platinum Award by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) of Singapore. It has also received the prestigious Excellence Award under the Shopping Mall Category in the Businesses for Families Council’s (BFC) ‘We Welcome Families’ Awards 2011. In May 2011, the mall received two additional awards – the FuturArc Green Leadership Award 2011 for Commercial Architecture and the FIABCI Prix d’Excellence Awards 2011 (Runner-up in the Retail category). City Square Mall was also awarded first runner-up for the Energy Efficiency Competition (New and Existing category) at the 2011 ASEAN Energy Awards. For its efforts to reduce packaging waste under the Singapore Packaging Agreement (SPA) initiated by the National Environment Agency (NEA), City Square Mall won a distinction award in the 3R Packaging Awards 2011.

For more information on City Square Mall, please visit www.citysquaremall.com.sg

For media enquiries, please contact:
IN.FOM on behalf of City Square Mall
Mike Liew
Tel: 64400122 (office), 97822052 (mobile)
Email: mike@infom.asia

Now there’s something new: robot-serve yogurt.

A Reis & Irvy’s Frozen Yogurt kiosk has been installed inside the food court at the Chapel Hills Mall on the north side of the Springs. The kiosk uses graphics and music to entertain kids and adults while a robotic arm “dances” as it pours the frozen treats into multicolored souvenir cups.

“You can’t help but smile through the whole thing,” said Victoria Harley, general manager of Chapels Hill Mall. “It has soft music, bright and colorful lights, and the robotic arm dances around, and the yogurt is fantastic.”

(Go here and click on “Watch it in action” to see a video of a Reis & Irvy’s kiosk)

The robot kiosk is the creation of Allan Jones and his South Carolina company, Robofusion, and is only the second of its kind in Colorado.

The kiosk at Chapel Hills is owned by Jones’ brother, Dave Jones, who is introducing the robots into malls.

The robot serves vanilla, chocolate or swirl frozen yogurt, with multiple toppings. Each cup of yogurt costs $5.

The yogurt is served in a 12oz, plastic souvenir cup covered with one of four graphic designs.

The robot places the yogurt and toppings in the cup in four layers. The first layer is the frozen treat, then a layer of topping, then another layer of yogurt and a final layer of topping, Dave Jones said.

People can choose from four robotic characters, each with its own dance.

Each kiosk holds about 65 servings, Allan Jones said, and can dispense between 35 and 40 cups an hour.

Allan Jones, a polymer material scientist, started Robofusion in 2005 as Puffin Innovations with two others — his brother-in-law, James Wolf, who Allan calls a “genius engineer,” and a medical doctor.

The first robotic ice cream dispenser cost $100,000, Jones said. He built his own ice cream store in Kingsport, Tenn., to introduce his robot. Owning the store gave Jones the ability to test market his first robot under his own guidelines.

“It was the ultimate in consumer testing, because it was people involved who were spending money or not spending money,” said Jones, who closed that store in 2009.

Jones’ robot kiosk won the “Best New Food Service Product” at the 2012 International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions show in Orlando, Fla.
Allan Jones changed the name of the company to Robofusion in 2010.

Today, the company has 18 kiosks in eight states, plus one each in Brazil and Singapore.
Several locations are in Great Wolf Lodges across the United States.

The most successful, Dave Jones said, are in science centers, including one in Indianapolis and Columbus, Ohio. The company hopes to install another 100 kiosks in 2013.

“Kids love to push buttons, just watch them on an elevator,” Allan Jones said.
“So it’s fun to get it, and a fun way to have it delivered to you.”

Written by: Ned B. Hunter
Source: Gazette.com Colorado