RoboCake: Researchers create edible robot cake with dancing gummy bears
An edible robot cake is intended to demonstrate how sustainable robotics can be. The RoboCake's rechargeable battery, for example, is suitable for consumption.
The scientists involved in the RoboCake project behind their edible robot cake.
(Image: EPFL / IIT / EHL)
A research team from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), the Instituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) and confectioners and food scientists from the École hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) have created an edible robot cake, as announced by the IIT on Monday. The cake, in the shape of a three-tier wedding cake, is decorated with two dancing gummy bears that are powered by air pressure. LED candles are powered by a rechargeable, edible battery.
Sustainable robotics
To make robotics more sustainable, as many robot components as possible should be compostable. These are usually natural materials that are also edible. The scientists have therefore developed a robot cake as a demonstration object for the Swiss pavilion at EXPO 2025 in Osaka, Japan.
“Robotics and food are two different worlds,” says Dario Floreano, Head of the Laboratory for Intelligent Systems (LIS) at EPFL and coordinator of the RoboFood project. “However, merging these two worlds offers numerous advantages, especially in terms of reducing e-waste and food waste.”
Edible robots can also be used to provide people with food in emergencies – for example, with edible drones that can fly directly to those affected in remote areas. Edible robots can also be used to administer food to people with swallowing difficulties, for example.
Dancing robotic gummy bears
The RoboCake, on the other hand, is more of a pretty demonstration object. The cake itself consists largely of conventional ingredients. Two robotic gummy bears are formed from gelatine and fitted with hollow bodies so that they move and perform dancing movements when compressed air is blown into them. They are edible and taste of sweet pomegranate. The pump and electronics are largely conventional and not suitable for consumption.
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The battery, on the other hand, consists of vitamin B2, quercetin, activated charcoal and chocolate. It is rechargeable and supplies the cake's LED candles with power. The battery can be eaten whole. “The first taste you notice when you eat it is dark chocolate, followed by a surprising kick of flavor due to the edible electrolyte inside, which lasts only a few seconds,” says Valerio Galli, PhD student at IIT.
(olb)
