The baristas, built by Singapore tech start-up firm Crown Digital, will begin serving fresh coffees in 30 Singapore MRT stations by the end of 2022.
Located in retail spaces with an area of 5sq m, the robot baristas will be called Ella and will offer a cashless, contactless interface with commuters and are capable of serving up to 200 cups of coffee an hour. Customers can order coffees in advance using a digital app, allowing them to pick them up as they pass through the station.
The coffee kiosks incorporate security features such as AI-powered vision system for round-the-clock video analytics monitoring, fully sealed chambers without gaps, and solenoid IoT locks for all access panels to prevent tampering.
“We plan to enhance commuters’ experience by enlivening and transforming Singapore’s public transport network spaces with innovative and new-to-network concepts,” said Tony Heng, President at Stellar Lifestyle, which is a shareholder in Crown Digital. “Ella is an example of the kind of lifestyle concepts we are actively looking for at MRT stations across the island.”
