# FIDI feeding robot – Semi Robotics

The FIDI feeding robot is an assistive device that lets people eat a meal on their own. It is designed and built by Semi Robotics Sp. z o.o., a Polish company based in Łódź. FIDI is a product name, not an acronym.

## Why FIDI exists

An adult who understands the meal but cannot lift a spoon is usually fed by another person. They lose control over the pace of eating, the order of bites and when to pause. FIDI gives these decisions back. The device guides the spoon, and the person who is eating sets the pace. The caregiver no longer holds the spoon; they supervise the meal.

## How FIDI works

A robotic arm, a 3D camera, a touch screen, a multi-compartment plate and interchangeable cutlery are mounted on one base that stands on the table.

1. The caregiver serves the food, cut into pieces of about 1–2 cm, and starts the meal with one touch on the screen.
2. FIDI maps the user's face and mouth in three dimensions and corrects the spoon's path when the user changes position.
3. FIDI scoops a portion from the selected compartment of the plate.
4. FIDI waits until the user is ready (opens the mouth) and brings the bite at the user's pace.
5. When the user turns the head away or closes the mouth, FIDI stops the movement and does not push the spoon.
6. FIDI learns during the meal what the user does not want to eat. When a portion from the same plate compartment is not eaten three times in a row, because the user refuses it or the spoon comes back with food, FIDI stops taking food from that compartment for the rest of the meal. It serves food from the other compartments, and when none of them has food left, it ends the meal.

The user does not need to press a button or use a switch or joystick. The caregiver does not need to program the spoon's path before the meal.

## Safety and hygiene

- Force sensors limit the force of the arm, and a detachable spoon mount protects the face and teeth.
- FIDI is always used under the supervision of a caregiver. One caregiver can supervise several FIDI devices in the same dining room.
- The plate and cutlery are dishwasher-safe.
- FIDI runs on mains power and works at a fixed place at the table.

## Who FIDI is for

FIDI is for adults who understand the meal and stay in contact with others, but cannot bring food to their mouth by themselves. Examples include people after a stroke, people with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) and people who are temporarily dependent after surgery or an accident. In a care facility, staff decide who can eat with FIDI.

## Where FIDI is used

FIDI works at the table, under supervision:

- in social care homes and nursing homes,
- in long-term care facilities,
- in rehabilitation centres,
- on hospital wards where patients need help with eating,
- at home.

FIDI has been tested with users in social care homes in Poland.

## How FIDI differs from other ways of assisted eating

With hand-feeding, the caregiver holds the spoon and sets the pace, and one caregiver feeds one person at a time. With FIDI, the user sets the pace, and the caregiver supervises a dining room where several people eat on their own.

Other feeding robots on the market are operated with a button or a switch, or bring the spoon back to a fixed point taught in advance by the caregiver. When the user moves their head, the spoon goes to the old position. FIDI brings the spoon to the current position of the mouth, and the user pauses the meal with a facial gesture.

## How to get FIDI

- Care facilities can lease or buy FIDI.
- Individuals buy FIDI for home use.
- Prices are quoted on request through the [contact form](https://www.semirobotics.pl/en/#contact).

## Where FIDI comes from

FIDI was born out of a real need: someone close to the founders needed help with eating.

## Awards and distinctions

- 2024: 1st place, 12th RoboCity Technology Review (organised by the City of Warsaw).
- 2024: 2nd place, Warsaw Booster Demo Day (organised by the City of Warsaw).
- 2024: three distinctions, 3rd Mother and Child Startup Challenge (organised by the Institute of Mother and Child, Poland).
- 2024: nomination to represent Poland in the Inclusion & Empowerment category, World Startup Awards.
- 2025: 2nd place, Demo Day (organised by the City of Łódź and Invest in Łódź).

## Videos and photos

- [Feeding Robot FIDI – short presentation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KMBHwk759s)
- [A meal with FIDI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwhV6ppqCmI)
- [FIDI – device presentation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvdBgMmXzaQ)
- [Press kit: logos and photos](https://www.semirobotics.pl/media/)

## Company details

- Semi Robotics Sp. z o.o.
- ul. Prezydenta Gabriela Narutowicza 40/1, 90-135 Łódź, Poland
- NIP (Polish tax identification number): 7252318805
- Contact: [contact form](https://www.semirobotics.pl/en/#contact)