The food industry is one of the leading industries in the market. It has a vast demand and a humongous user base. With ever-changing technology trends, food businesses are wondering what should they do next to enhance their business and keep it at the top of the game. The food delivery app development industry comprises different stages like cooking, packing the food, and delivering the food. It is not simple as it sounds. Where on hand, we see the high demand, heavy usage, and not to forget impressive profits, there is also a second side of the coin. Searching and hiring professionals, managing the requirements of raw materials, and packaging supplies, getting the delivery boys, and making the food delivered at the right time and place is a hectic job.
Emerging technologies have eased the work of several industries. Restaurant owners have started going on digital platforms with restaurant app development and see their businesses take beneficial growth. Let’s see how robotics and Artificial Intelligence change the way the food industry is functioning.
Ways to Use Robotics in Shaping Food Industry
1) Robotics in Agriculture
Agriculture is an underestimated industry but probably the base of human existence. The base of grains, poultry, and milk products is agriculture. Since every industry has adapted to technology and automation and has benefited immensely, agriculture has also started integrating automation, artificial intelligence, and robotics for the upgrade. Robotics have eased handling every phase of manufacturing and delivering food supplies.
Robots having autonomy helps in exploring farming fields for mowing grass and watching out for harvest status. Robotic systems can also be useful in feeding the animals on the farm and collecting eggs or dairy. Machines can prove to be a helping hand in routine tasks and doing all those tasks with ease and perfection. This will also allow farmers to have some spare time to do other things.
Unmanned aerial vehicle, popularly known as drones provides a facility for aerial evaluation of the fields. It gives a solid report of the field showing data like which crops are dying, which crops need hydration, are they in need of fertilizers. Drones have high-definition lenses and infrared camera lenses giving a wider and better view of the field. Land management works which will occupy several months for the labour will be done quickly and in no time by drones. Technology in the food industry will increase productivity, provide better and bigger output, and reduces the work of farmers.
2) Robotics in Manufacturing
The demand for food is increasing with the rapid increase in population. Autonomous food manufacturing is the solution to this demand. There is a specific process to be followed including different stages of packing and safety training to be conducted in the production facility. Robots are smart and they can assist in cleaning and categorizing different types of food.
Say, for example, fruits and vegetables can be kept in separate containers with these systems. Certain food items can also be processed before packaging by integrating robotics into manufacturing. Different types of cutting tools are required to chop fruits and vegetables. Robotics can help match the blade with the chopping that is needed. With automation in the food industry, cutting devices can be managed with less effort and time.
Robots can be placed in the supermarket for the chopping and cooking process. Automating has proved to be great in making the process smooth while maintaining speed and hygiene. Food is differentiated properly, picked up properly, and also sorted better with automation.
3) Robotics in Cooking
Not only chefs and wives are meant for cooking. With the advent of technology, robots can also be placed to cook. We have seen robots serving food in plenty of restaurants these days. But now, robots are also in place to chop, cook, clean, and serve. There is just one person needed to manage it all.
With smart technologies like artificial intelligence app development and IoT app development, the food industry has altered completely. Robot cooks can also garnish the dish which has made their demand impressively high. Small kitchens or large restaurants have been looking to put robot cooks in place for speedy work and catering to the heavy rush, especially during the weekend.
Mobile application development has already rescued buying groceries and standing in the billing line with online grocery delivery apps. That time is not far when we will be seeing robots in every small kitchen. It is still in the very initiative stage at the moment. It will take some research, some awareness, and a considerable amount of time to integrate the robots into every kitchen.
4) Robotics in Packaging
Industry owners need to freeze food in bulk to meet the demand when the supply of these food items is low. Storing the food in bulk at the right time also saves bucks. Bulk purchase provides a discounted price and saves from buying the same items when the price goes up. The food products that need to be stored have to be packed properly and organized properly in the storage facility. This is when AI and robotics come into the picture.
Also Read: How is Artificial Intelligence Playing a Significant Role in Changing Sports Industry?
Things to Consider While Hiring an AI App Development Company
While hiring a software development company to integrate AI and robotics in the food app, you need to look for important things before you make the final decision.
1) Company or a Freelancer?
The very first thing you need to decide is whether you want to hire a company or a freelance developer to make your food app. If you decide to hire a company, the cost will be higher but it will be reliable. When you hire an AI application development agency, they will be taking full responsibility for the project from designing the app to launching it in the app stores.
In the case of a freelancer, they are just bound to do their part in the development of the project. Of course, they prove to be cost-effective. Hiring a dedicated AI developer proves to be effective if you already have the design ready and your project is for the short term. If you want to create your project from the scratch, hiring a company will prove to be beneficial.
2) Portfolio of the Company
One of the important things to consider while hiring an AI development company is its portfolio. Check out their past projects and see how well they have done. This will also give a fair idea of the features and functionalities a company can integrate. The portfolio of the company also shows the overall experience and expertise of the company. This will in turn help the client get a better idea of whether to hand over the project or not.
3) Interview the Developers
Before you make the big decision, interview the developers yourself. This will help them to see whether the developers have the required knowledge and skill to handle the project or not. This will also give an idea of whether you are paying the proper price for the resource you are hiring or not. For quality output, you are willing to put the best man on the job and pay high for the same. But, it is important to check whether the price is proper for the skills and experience.
4) Client Reviews
When you hire a company with years of experience, there are bound to have reviews good and bad. It is important to speak with past clients and confirm good weighs the bad. If the bad client reviews are more than the good ones, you should not be assigning your project.
Also, it might be possible that the company’s work is good but most clients say that they are late on the timeline. If you have a project that has to be completed within the deadline, the company might not be a good fit even though with amazing output. Your goal here is to have good development with timely delivery. Hence, check client testimonials on the company website, check company reviews from different platforms, and if you are still not satisfied, you can ask the company for the client’s reference and speak with the client yourself for assurance. Having a background check helps in making the correct decision and saves from future regrets.
5) Cost of the Project
Robotics, Artificial intelligence, and Automation are not going to come cheap. These technologies are trending currently in the market and the AI developers are also very high in demand. All these factors indicate one thing the high cost of development. However, it is advisable to conduct a market survey and know the ballpark budget of the project. You already know you need to have a high budget but it does not necessarily mean you have to pay more than the market rate. Decide the budget beforehand and make sure you are paying the right price for the artificial Intelligence app development services.
Wrapping Up
The food industry is one of the leading industries in the market. With robotics and automation, the progress of this industry is much higher. If you are in this industry, it is high time to integrate robotics and artificial intelligence into your business and reap the maximum benefit from the same.