After several months of testing, the burger-flipping robot Flippy has been given a full-time job at a CaliBurger restaurant in Pasadena.

The California chain began testing the machine, which is fitted with a 6-axis robotic arm equipped with a spatula, earlier this year.

Starting today, the artificial intelligence-driven robot that can 'cook the perfect burger every time' has joined his human co-workers during the lunch shift.

Flippy uses its arm to flip burgers and place them on buns and could spell the beginning of the end for fast food chefs.

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Flippy, the artificial intelligence-equipped robot that can 'cook the perfect burger every time,' has been hired full time at a CaliBurger in Pasadena. Flippy uses its arm (picture) to flip burgers and place them on buns and could spell the beginning of the end for fast food chefs

CaliBurger began testing the machine in some of its restaurants in March, but later said Flippy would work at one of its restaurants thanks to the success of the trials.

The company has plans to bring Flippy to 50 of the chain's international locations, according to TechCrunch.

Flippy is likely to raise concerns among those who fear we're all doomed to have our jobs replaced by robots.

But fortunately Flippy does require some human assistance in order to get started.

Before Flippy begins flipping burgers, a human places raw meat patties on the grill.

Flippy's creators argue that the robot will bring some consistency to an industry that grapples with high turnover rates.

'The kitchen of the future will always have people in it, but we see that kitchen as having people and robots,' David Zito, CEO of Miso Robotics, told KTLA in Los Angeles.

HOW DOES THE 'FLIPPY' BURGER BOT WORK? Flippy is an artificial intelligence-driven robot that can flip burgers on a grill and then place them on a bung once they are done cooking. It is designed with a 6-axis robotic arm and cameras and sensors to see its environment. The robots arm is fitted with a spatula tool, allowing it to slide under the patty on the grill and flip it over. Flippy also alerts human workers when it is time to add the cheese or other toppings. Its software lets it distinguish between different meats on the grill and when they are done cooking. Advertisement

'This technology is not about replacing jobs -- we see Flippy as a third hand,' he added.

Zito has said that the robot will likely push workers out of their current jobs.

Flippy costs at least $60,000 to install at each Caliburger location, KTLA noted.

Flippy was developed by robotics firm Miso Robotics and publicly debuted at TechCrunch's Disrupt conference in San Francisco last September.

Flippy has sensors and cameras that it uses to see its environment – it can also distinguish between different meats, buns and which patties are done cooking using its AI-powered software

The update includes more accurate tracking software and the replacement of the robot's original burger-flipping claw with a more traditional spatula.

This was done to avoid burger meat getting into joints in the hand, making the robot easier to clean.

Caliburger has a six-month exclusive period with the $60,000 (£45,000) robots before other chains are allowed to purchase them.

Flippy is the brainchild of Miso Robotics and can assist human workers in the kitchen.

'Flippy is an AI-powered robot that works in tandem with kitchen staff,' Zito told DailyMail.com in March, when the company began testing the robot at a CaliBurger in Pasadena.

CaliBurger began testing the machine in some of its restaurants in March, but has announced a Flippy robot is now working full-time in one of its restaurants thanks to the success of these initial trials. Pictured is a test kitchen where Miso Robotics demoed Flippy

An artificial intelligence-driven robot is said to 'cook the perfect burger, every time.' Called Flippy, the machine is fitted with a 6-axis robotic arm, which it uses to flip burgers. Pictured is an older model of the robot, which used a claw instead of a spatula

'It functions as an assistant and intuitively knows when to flip burgers and then places them on buns when ready.

'Flippy is the first in our series of adaptive robots that will create smarter, safer and more efficient commercial kitchens.'

It was originally expected that Flippy would be hired in the 50 CaliBurger locations for 2019, but a large round of funding made it possible to move up the start date.

In July, Miso Robotics received $3.1 million (£2.3 million) in funding from strategic investors, including Acacia Research and Match Robotics VC.

It was originally expected that Flippy would be hired in the 50 CaliBurger locations for 2019, but a large round of funding made it possible to move up the start date

'While the biggest companies in the world are focused on using computer vision and artificial intelligence to drive cars and manage the home, Cali Group will facilitate and lead the adoption of these emerging technologies in the restaurant and retail industries,' said John Miller, Chairman and CEO of Cali Group, at the time of the funding announcement.

According to the National Association of Restaurants, consumers are spending more on food outside the home than ever before.

Yet despite rapid growth, the restaurant industry is plagued with inefficiencies.

In 2016, turnover of restaurant workers reached an all-time high at 113 percent.

Miso Robotics shared that it takes less than five minutes to install Flippy. It is attached to a cart that is easily rolled around from place to place

However, the integration of Miso Robotics into CaliBurger's kitchens will allow the chain to redeploy some of its staff to the dining room to engage more with customers.

CaliBurger will also collaborate with Miso Robotics to retrain certain staff to operate Flippy.

'The application of artificial intelligence to robotic systems that work next to our employees in CaliBurger restaurants will allow us to make food faster, safer and with fewer errors,' said John Miller, Chairman of Cali Group.