7 February 2015, 00:00
ABB robots will be at EXPO2015’s Future Food District where they will interact with consumers in an ideal Supermarket of the Future thanks to Internet of Things technologies (this is the official scope).
ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, announced today it will be the official Automation and Robotics sponsor at EXPO 2015 in Milan, Italy, the universal exhibition that showcases technological and cultural achievements from around the world.
EXPO 2015 will run from May 1 to Oct. 31, 2015, and focus on “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life,” a theme aligned with ABB’s ambition of providing “Power and Productivity for a Better World.” ABB robotics and automation technology help lift competitiveness and improve health and safety while cutting energy consumption and reducing costs.
Inside the “Supermarket of the Future” in EXPO 2015’s Future Food District, ABB robots will interact with visitors who will select products based on data regarding their origin, history and characteristics. The Future Food District will showcase how technology is boosting the food chain’s integrity, meeting a new generation of customers’ demands for sustainable, traceable production, and making life easier.
“Our participation at EXPO 2015 is testimony to our strong commitment to global food and beverage value chains focused on food quality and safety,” said Mario Corsi, managing director of ABB in Italy “With our automation and robotics offering, we aim to increasing productivity, competitiveness, flexibility and safety.”
ABB has a long history of providing automation solutions for segments of the food and beverage industry, including dairy, edible oil, grain, meat, poultry and seafood as well as in sugar production.
The company has a global installed base of more than 200,000 industrial robots, including robots for precision picking and placing applications required by industries including food and beverage. And with this year’s introduction of the collaborative, dual-arm robot, YuMi, ABB is opening up new opportunities for true interaction between people and robots working together safely on the same tasks.
The “Supermarket of the Future” at EXPO 2015’s Future Food District, where ABB’s robots will be on display, is one of the thematic areas of EXPO Milano 2015. The Future Food District is being created by the design office Carlo Ratti Associati in collaboration with COOP, the largest supermarket chain in Italy.
The Future Food District seeks to allow its visitors to get acquainted with and explore a more ethical and transparent food chain, made possible by new technologies.
“We are proud to contribute to this global event where our automation and robotics technologies will be combined in a real-world experience,” commented Mario Corsi.
“We are very pleased to announce ABB decision to become official Automation and Robotics sponsor, their contribution to the Future Food District project is an example on how cutting edge technologies can improve food distribution and supply chain model as well as enable an innovative customer experience”, explained Giuseppe Sala, CEO of Expo 2015 Company and Commissioner of the Government of Italy for Expo Milano 2015.