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I've been wondering: if this robot is only flipping fries, could it be made by putting the basket on a simple track, and adding an actuator to move the basket along a track? Why need an arm?

My speculation: a robotic arm makes for a great press release. Actuator + track feels like a factory.

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Advantage of an articulated arm like this is that it can more easily be retrofitted to existing stores with existing equipment. The photos look like they are selling more than just an arm add-on but its hard to say where they landed with the White Castle contract. Could be just something they hang from the ceiling and use existing fryers.

After looking at this when it was posted a few weeks ago, I thought the exact same thing. Why couldn't there just be a chain/belt driven pickup that is filled with uncooked fries from a chute above, puts it in a static cook position, then raises & dumps in appropriate bin. That seems way easier than a 3 axis robot? I would think the high motion robot would be way more prone to being out of service, too.

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