Robotic Chefs and Overhead Rails Feed Beijing Olympics Attendees
To enforce strict COVID-19 protocols within the Olympic "closed loop," Beijing relies on robot chefs to cook and deliver meals directly to partitioned tables.
Robotic chefs take over meal preparation at the Beijing Winter Olympics to maintain strict COVID-19 health protocols. Inside the Main Media Center, machines cook everything from noodles to hamburgers and deliver the finished meals directly to attendees via an overhead conveyance system.
This automated dining experience exists within a tightly controlled "closed loop" that houses over 13,000 international athletes and journalists. Diners sit at tables sectioned off by clear Plexiglas panels, allowing them to see each other while minimizing the risk of viral transmission.
From the moment attendees land at the airport until their departure, they funnel through 25 designated sites that offer various amenities like coffee shops and beauty salons. While it remains unclear if robots staff those additional locations, the automated dining hall highlights China's heavy reliance on technology to safely host the global sporting event.