If you are a lover of Spicy Tuna Rolls, California Rolls, Kamikazi Rolls, and just about any other sushi roll out there, then you will get a kick out of SushiBot. Created by Suzumo and showcased at the World Food and Beverage Great Expo 2012 in Tokyo, Japan just recently, SushiBot is a dream come true for all sushi enthusiasts! The Suzumo SushiBot is able to crank out 300 medium maki sushi rolls in just an hour. Each and everyone looks (and of course tastes) perfect. Everyone wants one to have in their own home!
This machine has a rice bucket mounted right on top, allowing SushiBot to easily grab big chunks of rice and neatly shape it into a beautiful, yummy sushi roll. According to Suzumo, the goal is “to precisely recreate the handmade taste and technique used by an experienced sushi chef.” However, it is a bit difficult to picture high end sushi restaurants replacing human sushi makers at the counter with mechanical ones. These machines, rather, are more geared toward the all-you-can-eat sushi restaurants, restaurants, and other locations where a high volume of sushi is needed quickly and continuously.
The benefits marketed by Suzumo are the cost effectiveness and customization. There is no longer a need to hire a proficient sushi maker when all someone needs is a person to feed in the vegetables and fish and then press a button. Furthermore, the sushi rolls can be customized using buttons to determine the length and thickness of the sushi roll.
But how does SushiBot stack up to the holder of the Guinness Book of World Records for sushi rolling? Joakim Lundblad can roll 12 rolls in two minutes. The SushiBot can roll ten in two minutes. But without precise specifications, there is no real conclusion. Maybe a sushi rolling showdown is needed to answer the age old question of man versus robot?! While a person will tire out quickly, unlike a machine, SushiBot does require human interaction to place ingredients before it can be rolled.
But wouldn’t it be great if SushiBot had hands and could do everything from start to finish on its own? That would be something people would most definitely pay to see…and eat!
For more fun sushi stories, check out these ridiculous things made out of sushi, or, if you are not a fan of actual sushi, try sushi shaped candy!
