Robot makes Waffles and Family Ties

By Eric Stevick
Herald Writer

ARLINGTON - Jesse Klein's invention - a robot that toasts, butters, pours syrup and spreads whipped cream on waffles - is both ingenious and absurd.
When Arlington High School teacher Brett Sarver wanted to impress a vocational education advisory board last week, he called on Klein, a recent graduate, to demonstrate his machine.
Klein's machine toasted the waffle, and a five-pronged mechanical jaw grabbed it and placed in on a plate. A mechanical arm moved the plate from station to station - a butter drop, a syrup squeezer and a whipped cream slatherer.
"I just added whipped cream for the fun of it," Klein said.



Klein and his father made all the parts in the family workshop. His mother started logging how many hours her son and husband spent in the shop. She stopped at 150.

"The best part of it was working alongside my dad," Klein said.
Waffles are fine, but Klein can imagine a different machine.
"I would rather have it make ice cream sundaes," he said.

HeraldNet: Waffle-making robot a hit