The next time you are out and about in Washington D.C., be sure to keep an eye out for a robot moving its way down the sidewalk. That little guy is on the job as a food delivery courier, bringing takeout, groceries, and more to customers in the nation’s capital.
Don’t worry, these little guys are not moving all that quickly, so they won’t be about to run you over, but the robots from Starship Technologies are breaking down the barrier for one more job that could eventually put some humans out of work.
“This is the world’s first delivery robot,” Starship Technologies spokesman Henry Harris-Burland said. “Anything you can order online, it can deliver.”
While Amazon may be perfecting its drone-delivery services, it seems the focus here is to stay on the ground. Sensors in the robot are designed to detect their surroundings, thus avoiding collisions with people and standing objects such as mailboxes, light posts and so on. Customers expecting a delivery will receive a text message informing them a robot will be making the delivery and again when the delivery is at the door. The customer will then be sent a link that must be clicked in order to unlock the robot and retrieve the delivered goods.
So, how much do you tip a robot for a solid delivery?
