Swiss Startup Unveils New Delivery Robot For Cities And Suburbs
A Swiss startup, Teleretail AG, has unveiled its delivery robot that it is working on which is intended to be a two-wheeled delivery robot for markets in both cities and suburbs. Their robot is able to drive about 50 miles each time it takes to the road and uses sensors, GPS navigation, and vision systems etc, in order to be able to assess the environment around it and properly navigate to where it's meant to be going.
Ultimately they say that they see a subscription-based model that would allow for consumers to subscribe to the service to make some deliveries.
Costco for example could subscribe to the service and use the robot to make deliveries of their products to certain areas. But even better, it could help much smaller stores to utilize the technology as well and therefore be able to compete with the bigger e-commerce giants.
Aside from delivering food as robots are already doing in many areas, or providing subscription delivery services to stores etc, the Swiss startup also says that they hope to use this technology to assist the elderly.
They want senior citizens to be able to send out the robot to pick up everything, like their groceries, medicine, or dry cleaning etc. It could still take some time before we see their design rolled out to the market in a big way though, they only recently demonstrated a prototype last month.
Robots are already making deliveries around the US in areas like Washington, DC, and throughout California, and being tested around the world. Robot deliveries have already been embraced and used by tens of thousands of people, but not everyone is enthusiastic about seeing this delivery option and technology come to market.
One politician in San Francisco has just recently introduced legislation to try and ban robot delivery services from the streets of the city, looking to establish at least a $1,000 fine and jail sentence for those caught. He calls the robots a public and a safety hazard and has said that the streets are meant for people, not robots.
But this technology has already been heavily implemented in the area, with a number of startups already testing this technology on the streets of San Francisco. Therefore, it would be surprising if they decide to move in the opposite direction and look to ban them rather than experiment with this new and innovative delivery technology for the market.
At the moment,...
anyone who is injured by one of these devices, has the opportunity to seek remedy within the legal system by bringing a lawsuit against the company of the delivery robot. Therefore it is not within the best interest of the company to have a bunch of robots roaming the streets that are going to be putting people in danger, running them over so as to put the success of the company in jeopardy. This is why they are working on the technology and running thorough tests, so as to be sure that they are building a safe and efficient system for the market.
When it comes to the recently proposed ban, put forth by San Francisco Supervisor Norman Yee, he says that they had considered going with a strict regulatory route but after consideration thought it would be too difficult to implement and therefore it was easier in their eyes just go to with something simpler--fines and jail time.
Pics:
Teleretail AG via techcrunch.com/2017/05/15/teleretail-built-a-delivery-robot-to-make-on-demand-logistics-easy-for-small-businesses/
Gif via thenextweb.com/uk/2016/02/24/autonomous-delivery-robots-will-soon-be-roving-londons-streets/#.tnw_n4vXWVor
Sources:
https://www.psfk.com/2017/06/this-delivery-robot-is-helping-small-businesses-wage-war-on-e-commerce-giants.html
https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/may/31/delivery-robots-drones-san-francisco-public-safety-job-loss-fears-marble
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4559162/Tesco-delivers-groceries-hour-ROBOT.html
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2017/05/17/delivery-robot-ban-proposal-san-francisco-supervisor-norman-yee/
https://www.wired.com/2017/05/san-francisco-wants-ban-delivery-robots-squash-someones-toes/
https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/may/31/delivery-robots-drones-san-francisco-public-safety-job-loss-fears-marble
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/delivery-robots-are-grabbing-attention-on-city-streets-2017-04-27
Very amazing, as a world we have come so far on technology. Thanks for puting the time in on this article. Nice work. The future will be very interesting. Full steem ahead my friend. Resteemed.
Thank you for an interesting and informative article. It's good to have such a robotic machine. Necessary things to bring home. It seems to me that this is a useful thing for the elderly.
cool idea.
I drove in one of this autonomous swiss busses the other day.
It is a cool but different feeling.
got my upvote and steem on!
A delivery robot with wheels rather than 6 propellers? Madness!!
@doitvoluntarily
This type of technology is quite interesting and appealing, to a certain extent. To be honest, I think I would like the idea of a robot pizza delivery! As a matter of fact, I wish I had a pizza right about now! :D
Interesting that San Francisco wants to ban this type of technology, given how much of it is being created several miles south. What a terrible group of politicians in an otherwise wonderful geography.
Wow!
Is it Grindelwald in the photo?
not sure
I like the robots, i am sure they can help us a lot. But for delivery i like also flying drones. What will robots do in crwoded traffic?
i think most go on sidewalks, not the road, but maybe this one here in the pic is going to be for the road? :)
In some places to put this robots on the street is a bad ideea :) Some may adopt them without permision :))
i dont think it would be an issue for the sidewalk really.. at least not anymore so than any baby carriage would or wheelchair etc. it's a very small device :)
I belive that future city will be build in a diferent maner, with small underground tunnels wher you can build a robotic infrastructure, like tesla tunnels but smaller with building to building connection.
i think the best market is one that offers competition to the consumer, you and me, so i suspect that there will be multiple methods of transportation :)
thank you....the funny part is these robots or AI can or will use the blockchain to communicate. The IOT will use Ethereum and more.
very cool! maybe one day.. everyone will be on blockchain! :)
yep -- Toyota has been doing this with their "autonomous driving cars" -- that is how the cars communicate data -- now add 5G and wow!