Dobot Nova 2 Collaborative Robot for Retail

In a shopping-centre food court or a hotel coffee bar, the counter is the most contested surface in the building. Every stretch of it has to earn its rent, and nothing placed on it may slow down the staff or unsettle the guests. The Dobot Nova 2 Collaborative Robot for Retail is built for exactly that surface. It is a compact collaborative arm weighing 11 kg that reaches 625 mm and carries up to 2 kg. That is the scale of the cup, the bowl and the small parcel, not the car body or the pallet. A conventional industrial robot would claim a fenced cell of its own. The Nova 2 is meant to share the counter with the people who work behind it, taking over the repetitive, precisely timed motions that wear a team down over a long shift.

Robots Middle East supplies the Dobot Nova 2 to cafés, restaurant groups, retailers and system integrators across the Middle East. We prepare each quotation around the application you have in mind and arrange delivery to your site. Once the arm is in service, we remain your point of contact for configuration questions and after-sales support.

Background

DOBOT and the Nova series

DOBOT is a robotics manufacturer whose range runs from collaborative arms for commercial and industrial use to newer humanoid and embodied-AI platforms. The Nova series is the brand's line of compact collaborative robots for small-scale, customer-facing applications, and the sources name two versions of it: the Nova 2 and the Nova 5. The Nova 2 is described here. Its pairing of a 625 mm working radius with a 2 kg payload is aimed squarely at restaurant and retail automation. This is a sector where the robot is often in full view of customers and where reliability across a whole trading day matters more than raw industrial capacity.

Designed to work beside people

What separates a collaborative robot from a traditional industrial arm is how it behaves when something unexpected enters its path. On the Nova 2, operation stops within 0.01 second of a collision being detected, which protects the people working around it. The arm carries an IP54 rating and runs at a noise level of 65 dB(A), which suits an open kitchen or a shop floor where conversation carries on around the machine. Its body is made of aluminium alloy and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene plastic. It can be installed at any angle, so a project team can mount it on a bench, a wall or an overhead structure, whichever leaves the counter clearest for customers and staff.

Technical Specifications

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

The manufacturer has not published the dimensions of the arm, the size of the robot base, the certifications, the contents of the box or the details of the software licence; Robots Middle East confirms these at quotation.

Is a 2 kg payload enough for food and retail work?

For the tasks the Nova 2 is designed for, it usually is. Remember that a robot's payload has to cover the gripper or tool as well as the object being handled. A light gripper holding a cup of coffee, a bowl of noodles or a boxed item sits comfortably within that envelope. One Nova can handle 500 cups of coffee or 300 bowls of noodles a day, which gives a clear sense of the volumes the series is built for. That is a full service day at a busy outlet, not a short demonstration.

Reach matters as much as payload. A 625 mm working radius covers a typical counter workstation: a grinder, a dispensing point and a hand-off position can all sit within the arm's envelope without it having to stretch into the customer's space. The maximum TCP speed of 1.6 m/s keeps cycle times brisk. Repeatability of ±0.05 mm means the arm returns to the same point each time, so a pour, a placement or a hand-over looks the same at the end of the day as at the start. Customers notice that consistency, and it is often the real reason a hospitality business automates.

Where a project involves heavier tooling or larger items, the payload question should be raised early. The Nova series also includes the Nova 5, and Robots Middle East can set out the two versions side by side in the quotation so that you choose on the basis of your actual task.

How is the Nova 2 programmed and connected?

The Nova 2 is taught through a PC or through an app on Android and iOS. Staff who are not robotics specialists can adjust positions and routines without specialist programming tools, and a tablet at the counter is often all the interface a store team needs. Integrators, for their part, get standard industrial communication. The controller offers two network interfaces for TCP/IP and Modbus TCP communication and one RS485 interface for RS485 and Modbus RTU communication. This allows the arm to exchange signals with coffee machines, dispensers, ordering systems or point-of-sale logic.

The controller itself is small: 200 mm x 120 mm x 55 mm and 1.3 kg, powered from 30~60V DC. It connects to the arm through a 3 m cable, so it can be tucked under the counter or into a service cabinet away from the customer's view. Because the controller is rated IP20, it belongs in a dry, enclosed position. The arm, at IP54, is the part that faces the working area.

Who is the Dobot Nova 2 Collaborative Robot for Retail for?

The clearest fit is the coffee business that sells the same handful of drinks in high volume: kiosk chains in shopping centres, airport concessions and office-tower cafés where queues peak sharply at set times. Restaurant groups running noodle bars, dessert counters or other assembly-style menus are a second group. For them the arm takes over the repetitive portioning and hand-off steps while cooks concentrate on the food itself.

Retailers form a third group. A visible, quiet robot at a pick-up point or a product display draws attention to a brand and handles light items reliably. Hotels and entertainment venues looking for an automated service point with a sense of theatre will find the Nova 2 sized for a bar top or a buffet station. System integrators building turnkey food or retail kiosks are the fifth audience. Standard Modbus communication, app-based teaching and any-angle mounting make the arm a practical building block for them.

If your task pushes against a 2 kg payload, ask Robots Middle East to compare the Nova 2 with the Nova 5 before you commit. To see the wider choice of machines for shops and hospitality, browse our Retail Robots and Commercial Robots categories.

What is the Dobot Nova 2 Collaborative Robot for Retail used for?

1. Coffee and beverage preparation: moving cups between grinder, machine and hand-off point with the same timing every time.
2. Noodle and bowl assembly: portioning and passing bowls along a short station during busy service.
3. Dessert and ice-cream counters: serving repeatable portions in full view of customers.
4. Retail pick-up points: handing light boxed items to customers at a click-and-collect or vending-style counter.
5. Brand experiences and displays: performing a quiet, eye-catching routine in a shop window or showroom.
6. Light kitting and packing: placing small items into bags or boxes at the back of house.

Pricing and Availability

Robots Middle East prices the Dobot Nova 2 by quotation, because the right offer depends on your application, the tooling it needs and how the arm will be integrated with your equipment. Tell us what the robot should do, where it will be installed and how many units you are considering, and we will prepare a quotation to match. Delivery, customs clearance and support are arranged together with the quotation, so you receive one complete answer rather than separate pieces to coordinate. To begin, use the quotation request available on this page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What payload can the Dobot Nova 2 carry?

The Nova 2 has a maximum payload of 2 kg (4.4 lbs). That figure has to cover the gripper or tool as well as the item being handled.

How far can the Nova 2 reach?

Its working radius is 625 mm (24.6 in), which covers a typical counter workstation without reaching into the customer's space.

Is the Nova 2 safe to work beside staff?

Operation stops within 0.01 second of a collision being detected, so the arm can share a workspace with people. As with any robot installation, the final layout should still be checked in a risk assessment for your site.

Can the arm be mounted on a wall or overhead?

Yes. The Nova 2 can be installed at any angle, which lets you keep valuable counter space free.

How is the Nova 2 programmed?

It is taught through a PC or through an app on Android and iOS. Integrators can connect it to other equipment over TCP/IP, Modbus TCP, RS485 and Modbus RTU.

Is the Nova 2 suitable for a kitchen environment?

The arm is rated IP54 and runs at 65 dB(A), which suits open kitchens and counters. The controller is rated IP20, so it should be placed in a dry, enclosed position.

Where can I buy the Dobot Nova 2 Collaborative Robot for Retail and what does it cost?

You can buy it from Robots Middle East, which supplies it across the Middle East. The cost depends on your application and configuration, so we provide it in a tailored quotation that also covers delivery, customs and support.

Summary

The counter remains the most valuable surface in a café, a restaurant or a shop, and the Dobot Nova 2 Collaborative Robot for Retail is designed to earn its place there. It weighs 11 kg, reaches 625 mm, carries 2 kg and returns to within ±0.05 mm. It stops within 0.01 second of a collision, runs quietly at 65 dB(A) and mounts at any angle. Teaching by PC or app and standard Modbus communication make it approachable for store teams and integrators alike. Robots Middle East will help you decide whether the Nova 2 or its larger sibling suits your task and will arrange everything from quotation to support. For a counter that has to work harder without growing larger, this page is the starting point.