To achieve the ambitious objectives set out in the RoboFood project, an interdisciplinary approach that brings together experts from two major disciplines, robotic science and food science, is being implemented. Our approach in the first, second and third reporting periods has focussed on the identification, characterisation, and processing of edible materials suitable for robotic applications. Specifically, we have created and expanded a library of food components with suitable functional characteristics for mechanical integrity, actuation, sensing and energy, and suitable nutritional profiles as well as gained preliminary insight into the quantitative characterisation of edible materials and the development of processing methods to alter material properties.In the third reporting period, the edible components developed within WP1-3 were incorporated into edible robots and robotic foods for the three core RoboFood validation scenarios, Rescue RoboFood, RoboFeed, and RoboFood for humans. The RoboFood project has successfully achieved the assembly of edible composite materials into fundamental robotic components, such as edible actuators, sensors, logic, power supplies, mechanical structures, and first systems, with xx peer-reviewed articles published on the subjects.
The project’s outreach and dissemination activities have remained strong, attracting notable media attention, particularly around the RoboCake demonstration, which was featured as a live showcase at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka. We regard RoboCake as a milestone achievement in both futuristic food innovation and edible robotics, showcasing an interdisciplinary collaboration between robotics and electronics engineers, gastronomy experts, and food materials scientists.
During the third reporting period, we also advanced in the areas of innovation and exploitation of project results. Two patents were submitted for the Aquatic RoboFeed and the Edible Jumpers, while the RoboCake outcomes are now being assessed for potential commercialization opportunities. Our activities are underpinned by the website, social media platforms, Data Management Plan, Quality and Risk Monitoring plan, and the Communication, Dissemination, and Exploitation Plan. Preliminary exploitation objectives and strategies for future exploitation of results have been discussed and outlined by the Consortium.
