Robotic technology outperforms elite baristas in historic live showdown NEWS | Industry Updates
The 7th-Generation COFE+ Fully Automated Robotic Café by Hi-Dolphin Robot Technology outperformed a group of elite human baristas in a head-to-head live competition at the 2026 Hongqiao International Coffee Culture Festival.
Conducted under strict international barista competition standards, the “Man vs. Machine” showdown required contestants to prepare three cups of premium specialty Americano coffee. Evaluated by a panel of championship judges, the live performance metrics highlighted a significant advance in consistency and operational efficiency driven by successive generations of product improvements. The 7th-Gen COFE+ completed all three cups in two minutes and 43 seconds —averaging 54 seconds per cup, nearly 1.5 times faster than the human baristas who finished in three minutes and 35 seconds (72 seconds per cup). Furthermore, the robotic bar maintained a weight deviation within a tight margin of ±0.8 grams, translating to a 3‰ (0.3%) error rate, whereas human counterparts registered a deviation of ±2.1 grams (1% error rate).
This event marked the global debut of the 7th-Generation COFE+
Fully Automated Robotic Café by Hi-Dolphin Robot Technology. As global operators face the compounding pressures of soaring rents, labour shortages, and energy costs, the company believes the launch demonstrates how automation can address some of the operational challenges facing coffee retailers, while delivering competitive performance across four key areas: quality, speed, cost, and consistency. The kiosk has recently been invited to showcase at multiple
premier global hospitality, retail, and future technology summits across the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and France. Powered by a millisecond-response AI core, the system digitally
replicates world-champion barista techniques by monitoring 300+ extraction parameters in real-time, locking extraction pressure at 9 bar (±0.2 bar) and water temperature at 92.5°C (±0.1°C). Despite occupying just 2.3 square meters, the automated kiosk houses an international library of 197 beverage recipes tailored to different regional tastes, capable of dispensing over 300 drink combinations across eight categories—including freshly ground coffee, milk tea, matcha, chocolate, plant-based milks, coffee– tea blends, robot-crafted latte art and customised 3D-printed cappuccino, customised 3D-printed latte art. The menu includes hot, cold, and iced beverages to accommodate a wide range of consumer preferences.
“Our goal is to use advanced automation to help operators run
more sustainable businesses, reduce repetitive manual work, and make high-quality specialty coffee more accessible and affordable,” said Dr Han Feizi, founder of Hi-Dolphin Robot Technology.
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