What if one received bored with cooking or bland takeout? A cooking robotic got here to the rescue, which even needed to go the ‘Mother’ check. Yatin Varachhia from NOSH tells EFY’s Nidhi Agarwal how this Bengaluru startup is redefining home-style meals with good automation.
Q. What does your organization do?
A. The corporate targeted on constructing robots that make wholesome, personalised meals. We started with the idea that many within the youthful era, together with millennials and Gen Z, don’t take pleasure in cooking and sometimes depend on fast or take-out meals, which isn’t at all times wholesome. The thought got here from our personal problem as a working couple in Bengaluru, struggling to discover a prepare dinner who might match our style. After talking with many others in cities and overseas, we realised this can be a frequent downside—individuals typically compromise on their meals. We intention to unravel this by automating kitchen duties, permitting anybody to take pleasure in contemporary, home-style meals anytime, anyplace.
Q. How did the title NOSH come up?
A. We first named the corporate Euphotic Labs as a result of we wished to create happiness by way of automation. However many individuals discovered the title arduous to recollect. Later, a pal advised the title NOSH, which implies ‘nobody sleeps hungry’. We appreciated it instantly as a result of it matched our aim.
Q: What sort of meals can your product prepare dinner, and how briskly is it in comparison with conventional cooking?
A: It may well prepare dinner something normally made in a pan, pot, or cooker—like sabji, curry, rice, biryani, halwa, soups, and extra. So long as it’s a one-pot dish, the robotic can deal with it. It follows the identical cooking course of you’ll use at residence, so the cooking time is analogous. We didn’t pace it up artificially as a result of we wished to keep up the style and authenticity. The robotic simply automates the steps for you.
Q. What have been the primary design challenges in automating such a multi-step course of?
A. Our first huge problem was getting the style proper. That was our primary focus within the first 12 months. We needed to design and construct spice and ingredient dispensers that would deal with a variety of meals gadgets, together with spices, herbs, greens, meat, sauces, and extra. Then we needed to clear up the issue of cooking itself. Human arms can transfer in some ways, however robots can not, so making a robotic that may stir and prepare dinner correctly with only one or two motors was troublesome. After that, we needed to make the entire system sufficiently small to suit into an everyday kitchen, like the dimensions of a microwave. We additionally needed to make it dependable for day by day use and simple to scrub, utilizing food-safe supplies and a design that stops meals from getting caught in hard-to-clean locations.
We determined to maintain the method precisely like how a human would prepare dinner. The aim was that folks shouldn’t be in a position to inform if the meals was made by a machine or by hand. We have been so severe about this that we mentioned if the meals doesn’t style good, we won’t launch the product in any respect.
Aside from the tech facet, constructing a {hardware} firm got here with its personal set of issues. It’s tougher to lift cash for {hardware} than for software program. Good {hardware} engineers are additionally arduous to seek out. On prime of that, getting elements made in India was not straightforward. Distributors and suppliers typically don’t comply with timelines or preserve constant high quality. So we’ve got needed to clear up each engineering and enterprise challenges alongside the way in which.
Q. Do you’ve gotten an in-house design crew, or do you supply every part externally?
A. Our problem is completely different from what others face as a result of we needed to construct a system from scratch. Most of our elements are custom-made. Regardless that we’re fixing a brand new downside, we’ve got at all times had one key concept: don’t reinvent what already works. For instance, we didn’t attempt to make our personal energy provide; we purchased a confirmed one. The thought is to make use of ready-made, examined elements wherever doable, and solely create {custom} options the place it provides worth for the shopper.
Q. How do you clear up issues and enhance your design?
A. We enhance our design step-by-step, ranging from scratch with many concepts. Having a transparent plan helps us make selections. Brainstorming offers us good options, however the bottom line is constructing and testing prototypes shortly. As an alternative of infinite discussions, we deal with constructing. If it really works, nice; if not, we strive once more. That’s our method—simply hold constructing.
Q. Constructing {hardware} may be expensive. How did you handle the fee to your prototype?
A. Prototyping is expensive, however we have been fortunate to get authorities grants of ₹12.5 million in whole that coated it. We had limits on hiring, not on constructing. So we targeted on testing small elements as a substitute of full merchandise. For instance, to check a brand new shelling out methodology, we’d construct a easy setup, not the entire product. We used 3D printing and DIY instruments to check shortly and cheaply. Our method was easy: outline the issue clearly, check solely what issues, and hold enhancing step-by-step.
Q. What challenges did you face when transitioning from prototyping to mass manufacturing?
A. The crew has grown to 40 individuals, together with manufacturing, high quality, buyer help, service, software program, machine studying, synthetic intelligence (AI), mechanical, electronics, and design verification groups, together with a enterprise crew for gross sales, advertising, operations, and human assets (HR). Shifting from prototyping to mass manufacturing was a giant problem. We initially thought that creating a fantastic design would make manufacturing quick, however that was not the case. We confronted many challenges as a result of we underestimated manufacturing and didn’t put in sufficient effort to organize for it.
Q. How does electronics play a task in it?
A. Electronics are the core of our robotic—they management all of the motors and sensors. A digicam watches the pan, and edge AI checks if the onions are caramelised, the curry has launched oil, or the rice is cooked proper. The mechanical elements transfer by way of motors, that are managed by the electronics. We use round eight completely different printed circuit boards (PCBs) for sensors, motor management, and the AI unit. The whole lot works collectively by way of electronics to make the cooking occur.
Q. How do AI and sensors work collectively in your cooking robotic?
A. The robotic makes use of a number of good sensors and AI to make sure good cooking. A digicam watches the pan, a thermal sensor checks warmth, and a torque sensor gauges the thickness of gravies. AI makes use of this enter to find out when onions are golden brown, oil has separated from the curry, or rice is cooked correctly. It additionally adjusts based mostly on ingredient variation, like dimension or ripeness of tomatoes. All of this runs domestically, so cooking continues even when Wi-Fi goes out.
Q. How would you copy the way in which a human hand steers?
A. We use a easy rotating movement as a result of motors are finest at that. The problem was to design a spatula that would mimic human stirring, bringing meals from the underside to the highest and mixing every part evenly. Since components range in dimension, from huge items like rooster to fantastic ones like rawa, we had to ensure the identical movement works for all. After many design iterations, we created an answer that handles all sorts of mixing utilizing only one good rotary movement.
Q. What are the largest integration challenges?
A. When completely different groups or methods work collectively, the primary problem is commonly the unclear interface between them, resulting in confusion and blame. The difficulty is normally not with a crew, however with the interface not masking all situations. Connecting cloud to cell or cloud to gadget is simple, however issues come up between the gadget and motor controller, the place syncing and a {custom} protocol create extra complexity.
Q. How do you deal with manufacturing and IP safety, and are you planning to construct your personal manufacturing unit?
A. We’re at the moment counting on contract manufacturing, which works effectively as a result of specialists deal with manufacturing and labour, that are powerful areas for a tech firm. A superb contract producer has sturdy mental property (IP) safety and clear agreements. We additionally break up obligations—some elements we management, others they deal with. For now, we’re not planning our personal manufacturing unit, but when quantity grows past what contract producers can deal with, we’ll rethink.
Q. Who handles sourcing the elements, you or the producer?
A. We’ve got a provide chain crew that gives trusted suppliers to the contract producer. The contract producer should get elements from these suppliers, although they’ve some freedom to decide on companions. Nevertheless, for many elements, they have to use the suppliers we offer.
Q. How does your inside crew deal with product testing?
A. We’ve got many assessments for every a part of the design to ensure it really works. For instance, we do 5000 cycles of testing, which is a fundamental requirement. Any design modifications should undergo these 5000 cycles to construct belief. We additionally check for vibration by following highway and ship cargo requirements. We do drop assessments and environmental assessments to examine the product’s sturdiness over time, testing every part to ensure it’s proper.
Q. What number of items have you ever bought, and might you share the income?
A. We’ve got bought 600 items up to now, and have delivered 130 of them. The remaining 500 items are nonetheless in course of, some are with logistics, and a few are on the manufacturing line. We began in Bengaluru in August 2023 and waited for early suggestions, which took about 6 months. Up to now, we’ve got acquired round ₹30 million from prospects, although we’ve got not booked the income but.
Q. Do you’ve gotten rivals, and the way do you stand out from them?
A. Nimbal Lab is one among our rivals. Many are engaged on this, however solely us and Nimbal Lab have reached the manufacturing stage. Our design stands out with entrance entry and a closed chamber, permitting you to command it to prepare dinner and stroll away confidently. It may well simply slot in a cupboard, making placement easy together with your inside designer. We additionally designed it so even a 6-year-old can prepare dinner, with hidden gears and mechanisms for security and ease. These design options set us aside.
Q. What are your greatest challenges as a startup and your focus going ahead?
A. Our greatest problem now could be creating the market. Since it’s a new product in a brand new class, adoption is sluggish, and we’re targeted on constructing that. We’re additionally investing in advertising, gross sales, enhancing future merchandise, and optimising the provision chain. The actual query is not only whether or not we’ve got constructed a fantastic product—however whether or not we will construct a fantastic marketplace for it. That’s our key focus.
Q. Are you wanting so as to add new companions or distributors?
A. We’ll construct it up slowly. Proper now, we’re targeted on end-to-consumer (E2C) as a result of we first have to discover ways to promote it. As soon as we determine that out, we will let others assist. Our plan is to start out with Amazon after which transfer to retail companions or distributors. For now, the product is just out there on-line, on our web site and Amazon.
Q. Are you trying to companion with academia to spice up innovation?
A. I’m from Indian Institute of Science (IISc), the place we’ve got a powerful connection and work effectively collectively. We’re additionally constructing a relationship with the Indian Institute of Expertise (IIT) Madras and have an excellent partnership with the Sardar Patel Institute of Expertise (SP and IT) in Surat. Collaborating with establishments actually helps, particularly for a deep-tech firm like ours.
