Abstract: A robotic beverage server that includes a robot, a beverage dispenser in fluid communication with a plurality of beverages contained within respective beverage storage receptacles and operable to dispense one or more of the beverages from the respective storage receptacles, and a controller to operate the robot to pick a container and move the container to the beverage dispenser and to operate the beverage dispenser to dispense one or more of the beverages from the storage receptacles into the container and transport the container to a user. A method of preparing a beverage or mixture of beverages that includes picking a container using a robot, moving the container to an automatic beverage dispenser, wherein the beverage dispenser is in fluid communication with and operable to dispense a plurality of beverages contained within a plurality of storage receptacles, dispensing a beverage into the container from the storage receptacles via the automatic beverage dispenser and delivering the container to a user.

Abstract: Work-piece positioners include a positioner chassis, a rotary framework coupled to the chassis, and a mezzanine disposed above the chassis, wherein the mezzanine is configured to mount one or more robots above the positioner. The rotary framework may be configured such that it may rotate a work-piece between a work-piece load/unload zone and a work zone about a framework axis. More particularly, the mezzanine may be secured to the chassis such that when one or more robots are mounted to the mezzanine, the one or more robots may be positioned above the work zone of the positioner.

Abstract: A robotic beverage server includes a robot, a beverage supply disposed near the robot, a computer connected to the robot, and a beverage ordering system connected to the computer. The computer is configured to permit the entry of the type of available beverages stocked in the beverage supply and operable to determine the variety of beverages and mixtures of beverages that will be available for serving by the robotic beverage server based upon the beverages stocked in the beverage supply. The robotic beverage server may also include a controller, a framework, and a barrier disposed above the framework and having an opening therein, wherein both the framework and barrier at least partially encompass the robot and are configured to prevent an user from gaining access to the robot.