‘Barney’ the Swiss robot bartender can mix dozens of cocktails, tell jokes and sanitise itself

A fully automated robot bartender named Barney is looking to shake up cocktail-making, with its developers banking on it being a hit in hotels, bars and shopping centres. 

Developer F & P Robotics has unveiled ‘The Barney Bar’ – a fully automated robot bartender capable of mixing dozens of cocktails, disinfecting itself and even telling jokes. F & P Robotics are reckoning on demand from hotels, bars and shopping centres amid the coronavirus pandemic and beyond.

Customers place their orders via their mobile phone, after which the robot is capable of mixing 16 different spirits and eight different sodas, as well as beer and Prosecco offerings.

Barney is capable of disinfecting its own robotic arm and notifies customers when their drink is ready via a large video display screen above the bar.

“We are getting quite a bit of interest,” Gery Colombo, Chief Sales Officer, revealed to Reuters. “We think Barney can be a fun attraction, that can bring people to a bar because he’s constantly moving and is so different.”

A barista version that’s capable of making an assortment of coffees has also been created.

“We are getting double the amount of enquiries compared with last year. It could definitely be an advantage for customers who want a barman who can work 24 hours a day, can serve exactly the drinks customers want while also reducing human contact,” Colombo said.

The robot costs 120,000 Swiss francs, or roughly US$130,000.