| NEC System Technologies, a technology-oriented IT | | | | The first robot was called "Health and Food Advice |
| company provides customers with infrastructure and | | | | Robot," but now the experts developed it into a |
| solutions that best fit their business requirements and | | | | so-called robot-sommelier, or "wine-bot" that can |
| by consolidating accumulated knowledge create | | | | "taste" and identify types of wine. The shape of the |
| valuable solutions for the new generation and deliver | | | | robot is very pleasant is it is 2ft-tall (0.6m). It uses |
| them to customers. | | | | sensors with infrared light to identify different tastes. |
| The Mie University that looks for the creation of a | | | | Infrared light is fired through the sample, and the robot |
| unique educational environment and a research | | | | can differentiate between different types of food and |
| program based on the local region toward the world | | | | drink by determining the different wavelengths of light |
| together with NEC System Technologies has | | | | that are absorbed. By using its built-in voice function, |
| developed a "Personal Robot with a Sense of Taste". | | | | the robot can convey exactly what it has found out. |
| The Japanese researchers have manage to create a | | | | The press as well as the world of wine has reacted in |
| "robot-sommelier" that is capable of examining the | | | | different ways to the launch of the robot. |
| taste of food and giving the name of the food as well | | | | The Associated Press it is useful as it could become |
| as its ingredients. But the robot can provide more | | | | personalised to recommend wines to suit its owner's |
| information beside the ingredients and can give advice | | | | palate. The robot is capable of distinguishing several |
| on the food and on health issues based on the | | | | different types or blends of grapes and can be |
| information gathered. The achievement was made | | | | personalised to alert a customer to the wines they |
| possible by combining NEC System Technologies' | | | | prefer, and to recommend to new varieties that they |
| robot technology and pattern recognition technology | | | | might like to try. |
| with the analytical techniques of the infrared | | | | For the moment the tasting power of the robot is |
| spectroscopic technology of the BIFE Laboratory. The | | | | limited but the researchers expect that in the future |
| director of the NEC System Technology Research | | | | the robot could be used by the wine industry to help in |
| Laboratory in Japan explained that: "There are all kinds | | | | quality control. Nowadays when the global wine |
| of robots out there doing many different things. But we | | | | market boasts thousands of wines it is very difficult |
| decided to focus on wine because that seemed like a | | | | for a robot to distinguish between all of them. |
| real challenge." | | | | |