Robots can now deliver food to Cal Poly students, staff on campus. Here’s how it works
%5B37%5D.JPG "Around 40 wheeled robots will begin delivering food at Cal Poly this year, as part of a partnership with Grubhub and Starship Technologies.")
Cal Poly students and staff will have a new food delivery option on campus this year — robots.
The university dining department will deploy around 40 food delivery bots this year, as part of a partnership with Grubhub and Starship Technologies, according to a Cal Poly news release.
The companies have already rolled out similar programs at other universities around the country, including Oregon State University and University of Texas.
Cal Poly students and staff will be able to — for a $3.50 fee — order food delivery through the Grubhub app. The delivery fee must be paid via debit or credit card, though students may use campus dining dollars to pay for their food.
After ordering, customers can meet the robots at a predetermined delivery checkpoint. The customer can view the robot’s location in real time using an interactive map.
The wheeled robots can identify objects up to 200 feet away and are programmed to slow or stop when an object is nearby.
The robot will lock food into separate compartments for hot and cold items. The compartments can only be unlocked through the delivery app.
Project partners hope the robots will help increase convenience for those on campus and cut down on wait-times at campus eateries.
“Nowhere is time more regimented than on a university,” Chris Neider, vice president of business development at Starship Technologies, said in the release. “You’re moving between classes, you can place an order right before you’re out, and the robot can meet you at the quad, in the next building, or at your dorm.”
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