Robot that stocks drinks is newest thing at the corner store

TX SCARA robot works, stocking drinks in the refrigerated section of a FamilyMart convenience store in Tokyo. The robot can restock shelves with up to 1,000 bottles and cans a day. — AP

TOKYO: A small robot with a clip-like hand and enough smarts to know which drinks are popular is part of an effort to make convenience stores even more convenient.

On a recent day in Tokyo, the robot named TX SCARA slid back and forth behind the refrigerated shelves in the back of a FamilyMart store.