Dobot Nova 2 Collaborative Robot for Retail

Most robots ask a business to rebuild around them. The Dobot Nova 2 Collaborative Robot for Retail asks for far less: a stretch of counter, a power supply and a task that repeats itself all day. It is a small arm built for places where people and machines share the same few square feet, such as a coffee bar, a noodle station or a shop counter.

The product is available through this page, by quotation.

Background

The company and its lineage

Dobot is a robotics brand known for compact arms aimed at working spaces that are not factory floors. The Nova 2 belongs to the Dobot Nova Series, a pair of collaborative robots made for small-scale applications. The series names two models: the Nova 2 with a 2 kg payload and the Nova 5 with a 5 kg payload. This page is about the Nova 2, and every figure below belongs to the Nova 2 alone.

Collaborative robots, often called cobots, grew out of a simple idea: a robot arm does not have to live behind a fence. If it senses contact and stops, people can work close to it. That idea opened the door for automation in kitchens, cafes and shops, where space is tight and staff move around the equipment all day. Retail and restaurant owners across the Caribbean know that pressure well, with small premises, busy counters and a steady need for consistent service.

Positioning and key technology

The manufacturer positions the Nova 2 for restaurant and retail automation, and says its 625 mm working radius and 2 kg payload combination suits that work. The arm is not meant to lift heavy parts. It is meant to reach across a counter, handle cups, bowls and light items, and repeat the same motion again and again.

Safety is part of the design. Operation stops in 0.01 second upon collision detection to secure the safety of people. The arm can be installed at any angle, so it can stand on a counter, hang from above or mount on a side wall, whichever suits the layout. Teaching is done from a PC or from an app on Android or iOS, so a trained staff member can set up and adjust a routine without writing a program from scratch.

The controller is a separate, small box connected to the arm by a 3 m cable, which lets you keep the electronics out of the splash zone. For related equipment, see our Retail Robots and Commercial Robots categories.

Technical Specifications

Specifications as published by the manufacturer; confirmed against the datasheet at quotation.

The manufacturer has not published the box contents, the dimensions of the robot arm, the robot base size, the certifications or the software licence details; they are confirmed at quotation.

What makes the Nova 2 suited to a counter rather than a factory?

A factory robot is judged on payload and speed. A counter robot is judged on a different list: how little room it takes, how quietly it works, how safely it sits near people and how easily staff can teach it a new routine. The Nova 2 answers each of these.

On size, the arm weighs 11 kg and its controller weighs 1.3 kg and measures 200 mm x 120 mm x 55 mm, so the whole system is modest. On noise, the arm runs at 65 dB(A), which matters in a cafe where customers talk, order and wait. On safety, collision detection stops the arm in 0.01 second. On protection, the arm carries an IP54 rating, while the controller is IP20, so the controller belongs in a dry, sheltered spot.

Precision is the other half of the story. A repeatability of ±0.05 mm means the arm returns to the same point each time, which is what makes a cup land under a dispenser or a bowl sit square on a tray. The maximum TCP speed of 1.6 m/s gives it room to keep pace with a busy service.

The manufacturer gives a practical measure of what this adds up to: one Nova can handle 500 cups of coffee or 300 bowls of noodles a day. That is the scale of work this arm is meant for, repeated drink after drink and bowl after bowl.

What does the Nova 2 connect to?

A robot on a counter rarely works alone. It must talk to a coffee machine, a dispenser, a conveyor or an order system. The controller offers two network interfaces for TCP/IP and Modbus TCP communication, and one RS485 interface for RS485 and Modbus RTU communication. Those are common industrial protocols, so many pieces of equipment can be linked to the arm without special adapters.

The controller runs on 30~60V DC input power, which should be planned for when you design the power supply. Because the controller connects through a 3 m cable, you can place it away from the arm and keep the work area tidy.

Who is the Nova 2 for?

The Nova 2 fits owners and operators who have a repeatable, light task and little floor space. Cafes and coffee bars are the obvious first group, since a cup of coffee is a small, regular, timed job. Noodle and rice-bowl kitchens are another, as are juice bars, dessert counters and quick-service restaurants where the same few motions happen hundreds of times a day.

Retail operators form a second group: shops, kiosks and showrooms that want a robot to serve, display or demonstrate at a counter. Hotels and resorts, which are common across the Caribbean, can use it in a breakfast station or a bar where consistent service matters at busy hours.

Integrators and training centers form a third group. The PC and mobile app teaching modes make the arm approachable for classes and prototypes. If your task needs more than a 2 kg payload, look at the Nova 5 in the same series, which is listed with a 5 kg payload. Browse the Retail Robots category to compare it with other options, or the Commercial Robots category for wider commercial uses.

What is the Nova 2 used for?

1. Coffee preparation: positions cups, moves them to the machine and hands them over, drink after drink.
2. Noodle and bowl service: assembles and moves bowls in a restaurant kitchen with a steady, repeatable routine.
3. Counter service in retail: carries light items across a counter to the customer in a shop or kiosk.
4. Beverage stations: works a bar or drink station in hotels, cafes and food courts.
5. Product demonstrations: shows customers a working robot at an exhibition, showroom or store front.
6. Teaching and training: introduces students and staff to robot programming through the PC and mobile app teaching modes.

Pricing and Availability

Pricing is arranged by quotation, and a quotation is the way to start. Tell us your task, your counter layout and the quantity you need, and we will respond with a proposal. Delivery, customs and support are arranged together with the quotation, so you know the full picture before you commit. The Dobot Nova 2 Collaborative Robot for Retail is available on this page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What payload can the Nova 2 carry?

The maximum payload is 2 kg (4.4 lbs). That suits cups, bowls and other light items on a counter.

How far can the arm reach?

The working radius is 625 mm (24.6 in). The arm can be installed at any angle, so the reach can be set up to match your counter.

Is the Nova 2 safe to use near staff and customers?

Operation stops in 0.01 second upon collision detection to secure the safety of people. The arm is designed as a collaborative robot for shared spaces.

How is the robot taught a new routine?

Teaching is done from a PC or from an app on Android or iOS. Staff can adjust routines without a separate programming station.

How does the Nova 2 connect to other equipment?

The controller has two network interfaces for TCP/IP and Modbus TCP, and one RS485 interface for RS485 and Modbus RTU communication. It runs on 30~60V DC input power.

What is the difference between the Nova 2 and the Nova 5?

Both belong to the Dobot Nova Series. The Nova 2 has a 2 kg payload, and the Nova 5 is listed with a 5 kg payload. Ask us at quotation if your task needs the heavier model.

Where can I buy the Dobot Nova 2 and what does it cost?

You can buy it through this page by requesting a quotation. The cost is given in the quotation, together with delivery, customs and support arrangements.

Summary

The Nova 2 does not ask a business to rebuild itself around a machine. It takes a corner of the counter, works quietly, stops within 0.01 second on contact and repeats a motion with ±0.05 mm repeatability. Its 2 kg payload and 625 mm working radius are matched to cups, bowls and light retail tasks, and its network and RS485 interfaces let it join the equipment you already have. For a cafe, a noodle kitchen, a shop counter or a hotel bar in the Caribbean, this page is the starting point.