Motorised robo-coolbox biz Starship makes lunchtime pitch to campus-dwellers Robo-coolbox firm Starship Technologies is now touting its services to campus-based universities, businesses and other places where people might be too lazy to walk to the shops for a bite to eat. The Estonian firm, founded by one-time Skype starter-uppers Janus Friis and Ahti Heinla, specialises in robot last-mile deliveries …
> Robo-coolbox firm Starship Technologies is now touting its services to campus-based universities, businesses and other places where people might be too lazy to walk to the shops for a bite to eat.
Or indeed to tech newsrooms where the staff are disinclined to walk to the bar?
As far as campuses are concerned, equipment like this has an obvious application and it is not gofering coffee and sandwiches.
It is gofering lab samples, medication, supplies, etc.
The distances within an average teaching hospital or large research campus can easily exceed 2-3 km. That is where a drone can be really useful as it can do it 24x7x365.
Could be OK for enclosed / private / secure environments.
Much like the internet, was never designed with security in mind, my concern is these things getting stolen for their contents, or even their components. What about 'fake' ones delivering all sorts of mayhem?
How will the ne'er do wells see fit to exploit these little fellas?
are often mugged and have their food stolen
What sort of country do we live in, honestly? I was surprised that this even went on, but a quick Google Search soon saddened me further.
Yours,
Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells.
For a couple of years, until a few months ago, they were a common sight in my London neighbourhood. Now the trial is over, they have completely disappeared. I miss 'em, but my local MP might not. One balmy evening last summer, he was enjoying a refreshing sherbet outside my local watering hole just as one of the little bots went trundling by. Perhaps feeling threatened by the menacing whirr of its 6mph approach, he tipped the poor thing over with his foot, which led to a somewhat emotional exchange between the bot's minder and said MP. No doubt the next generation of bots will be equipped with tasers. As will the next generation of MPs, probably.
Bring on delivery bot 2.0!
These little robots have been getting around Lewisham now for quite some time. Considering the school kids are banned around here from McDonalds, Burger King, Pound Stretcher and Sainsburys these little guys must be holding their own quite well. Whether the chaperone that normally accompanies the robot has been mugged for their phone and any other gadgets they are carrying is a different story :)
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