Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Robots may beat drones in race to deliver packages
SFGate ^ | April 6, 2016 | Carolyn Said

Posted on 04/16/2016 9:10:46 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster

Robots may beat drones in race to deliver packages

By Carolyn Said

Updated 7:53 pm, Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Forget flying drones. When it comes to predictions on what sci-fi method might bring you hot pizza, aspirin, groceries or new shoes, some experts bet that delivery robots rolling down sidewalks will beat out airborne couriers.

Getting your purchases to your front door — the “last mile” challenge — is an obsession throughout the multibillion-dollar logistics and e-commerce industries. While Amazon, Google and Walmart pursue flying delivery drones, some much smaller companies are quietly working on simpler autonomous solutions anchored on terra firma. They’ve crafted suitcase-size, battery-powered, driverless machines on wheels that can glide along on sidewalks using sensors to avoid collisions.

South San Francisco startup Dispatch on Wednesday scored a $2 million investment round led by Andreessen Horowitz to develop a delivery robot named Carry. Estonia’s Starship Technologies, started by two of the folks behind Skype, is far along on its own eponymous bot — and doing a lot of testing in Walmart’s home state of Arkansas, stirring speculation that the retail juggernaut is interested. Domino’s Pizza recently unveiled DRU, or Domino Robotic Unit, a pizza-delivery robot developed by the Australian military. A handful of other startups are hard at work.

“These R2D2-like drones ... make a lot of sense for particularly dense places, like city centers, where freight and delivery vehicles are simply running out of space on the roads during rush hours and lunchtimes,” said Paul Mackie, a spokesman for the Mobility Lab, which researches advanced transportation options.

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Computers/Internet; Science
KEYWORDS: carry; deliveryrobot; starship

1 posted on 04/16/2016 9:10:46 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: TigerLikesRooster

It will take thieves five minutes to figure out how to steal either what’s in it or the whole thing.

I guess they are working on that.


2 posted on 04/16/2016 9:15:40 AM PDT by dp0622 (The only thing an upper crust conservative hates more than a liberal is a middle class conservative)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dp0622

Stun guns with laser sights will take care of that.


3 posted on 04/16/2016 9:26:02 AM PDT by smokingfrog ( sleep with one eye open (<o> ---)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: smokingfrog

yes it would!! Would it be legal?


4 posted on 04/16/2016 9:27:15 AM PDT by dp0622 (The only thing an upper crust conservative hates more than a liberal is a middle class conservative)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: smokingfrog
Come to think of it, a suicide bomber may become a thing of the past. These suitcase robots could quietly roll in and blow themselves up.
5 posted on 04/16/2016 9:32:47 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: dp0622

Probably not. It sure would be fun to watch tho.


6 posted on 04/16/2016 9:41:23 AM PDT by smokingfrog ( sleep with one eye open (<o> ---)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: TigerLikesRooster

I think you have stated why this plan will never “fly.”
Security concerns.


7 posted on 04/16/2016 9:45:14 AM PDT by citizen (GOPe: The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: TigerLikesRooster

Domino’s Pizza recently unveiled DRU, or Domino Robotic Unit, a pizza-delivery robot developed by the Australian military.

...

Now the hood can get its pizza again.


8 posted on 04/16/2016 9:48:09 AM PDT by Moonman62 (Make America Great Again!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: smokingfrog

I like you’re idea of a good time!

a few beers, BBQ, video of Obama’s sons getting shocked :)


9 posted on 04/16/2016 9:49:44 AM PDT by dp0622 (The only thing an upper crust conservative hates more than a liberal is a middle class conservative)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: TigerLikesRooster

Amazon builds a Johnny Cab to drive a non human delivery vehicle right to your doorstep.


10 posted on 04/16/2016 9:52:35 AM PDT by Daniel Ramsey (Donald Trump has all the right enemies while Lyin Ted has all the wrong friends!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TigerLikesRooster

A drone is a flying robot.


11 posted on 04/16/2016 9:55:57 AM PDT by JLS
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JLS

You are right. Words have evolved in a curious way. These days a drone means a flying robot, while a robot means a terrestrial robot.


12 posted on 04/16/2016 10:00:26 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: TigerLikesRooster

and a freeper is a office chair that burps and scratches its but


13 posted on 04/16/2016 10:12:17 AM PDT by al baby (Hi Mom yes I know)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: TigerLikesRooster

See a lot more of this as the 15.00 min wage goes national.


14 posted on 04/16/2016 10:55:15 AM PDT by AU72
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TigerLikesRooster

Then what is an android? Could a drone with a human like face on it be an android. Or heck is it just an operating system for hand held devices and all other meanings gone?


15 posted on 04/16/2016 11:42:07 AM PDT by JLS
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Moonman62

“Now the hood can get its pizza again.”

My first thought as well.


16 posted on 04/16/2016 11:49:24 AM PDT by MichaelCorleone (Jesus Christ is not a religion. He's the Truth.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: TigerLikesRooster

Looks just like a robot in Star Wars except that one had legs.


17 posted on 04/16/2016 12:12:02 PM PDT by Crucial (The more dysfunctional the society, the more need for powerful governmental power to control it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TigerLikesRooster
In the 1970s, robotic mail carts similar to this roamed the halls in Texas Instruments' huge buildings in Richardson. They were guided by nearly-invisible, UV-fluorescent stripes on the floors. When they reached an office mail station, they would beep for a secretary to come get the mail.

For a while, it was a popular game to stand in front of them, watch them sense you, come to a stop -- and beep for you to get out of the way.

IIRC, they used something like the sonic focusing sensors on Polaroid cameras to detect obstacles.

They stayed around for quite a while, and apparently were successful at doing their job -- until the janitors waxed over their path-guidance stripes several times with UV-absorbing wax...

18 posted on 04/16/2016 12:52:49 PM PDT by TXnMA ("Allah: Satan's current alias. "Obama": Allah's current ally...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JLS

It is like “window.” These days it is often difficult to tell what people mean when they say “window,” unless you pay close attention to context. Is it a opening in the wall covered with glass or Microsoft Window Operating System? One powerful brand name can overwhelm an existing meaning of a word.


19 posted on 04/16/2016 8:22:08 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson