Campus ID News
Card, mobile credential, payment and security
FEATURED
PARTNERS
REV 1 robot 1

U. of Michigan professors test robot delivery concept in Ann Arbor

Andrew Hudson   ||   Dec 20, 2019  ||   ,

Robot delivery is a hot topic in campus dining of late, with companies like Starship Technologies rolling out large deployments on campuses across the country. These solutions are still young, and the proof of concepts continue to roll in, but the early signs indicate that there's a seat at the table for these delivery robots.

Now, a startup company founded by two robotics experts at the University of Michigan is attempting to break into the recently expanding arena of robot delivery with a new delivery robot concept. According to a report from Restaurant Hospitality, the small roster of restaurants already participating in a trial with tech startup, Refraction, say it's more cost-efficient and reliable than third-party delivery operators.

Refraction has launched its autonomous delivery robot, the REV-1, and wis delivering food orders from four independent restaurants within in a 2.5-mile radius of Ann Arbor, home of the University of Michigan.

The start up is just six months old, and is backed by eLab Ventures and Trucks Venture Capital. The resulting delivery robot is a lightweight vehicle intended for restaurants in need of a reliable and cost-effective last-mile delivery solution. Standing nearly four feet tall and weighing 80 pounds, the REV-1 employs a three-wheel construction and can travel up to 15 mph on roads or bike lanes and is designed to make curbside deliveries.

Four Ann Arbor restaurants are involved in the trial run of the REV-1 robot, with each of the restaurants receiving direct orders from users who signed up to participate in the trial. The orders come through a tablet and are prepared and placed inside REV-1’s insulated compartment by restaurant employees.

Users can place orders after signing up for the trial. Once the robot arrives at the curb, the customer will receive a unique code sent to their smartphone. The user enters the code on a keypad on the robot, and can then retrieve their order. The compartment can fit up to five food delivery bags. Multiple stops are not be a part of the trial program, however, and the robots will only make deliveries to one user at a time.

Related Posts

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter

RECENT ARTICLES

Mobile credential buy-in video image
Dec 14, 24 / ,

Key steps to get buy-in for mobile credentials on your campus

  In this episode of CampusIDNews Chats we explore how to get buy-in for mobile credentials on your campus and lay the groundwork with your colleagues and administration. Our guest Tim Nyblom, Director of End User Business Development for Higher Education for HID Global, starts with the concept of university branding. But often the ID […]
Penn State Go mobile app
Dec 05, 24 / ,

Penn State moves to Transact Mobile Ordering

After years of experience and a variety of mobile ordering solutions, Penn State is transitioning to the Transact Mobile Ordering app. At the institution’s main location – the University Park campus – a number of dining locations have already launched the service. All on-campus locations will be up and running by spring according to an […]
Spreadsheet
Dec 04, 24 /

UConn card office's recently published budget shows declining revenues

Like other institutions, University of Connecticut students pay mandatory fees to fund various non-academic programs and services. One of these fees, UConn’s General University Fee, helps support the One Card Office as well as Recreational Services, the performing arts center, Student Activities, the Student Union, and more. The General University Fee for the 2024/2025 academic […]
CIDN logo reversed
The only publication dedicated to the use of campus cards, mobile credentials, identity and security technology in the education market. CampusIDNews – formerly CR80News – has served more than 6,500 subscribers for more than two decades.
Twitter

Attn: friends in the biometrics space. Nominations close Friday for the annual Women in Biometrics Awards. Take five minutes to recognize a colleague or even yourself. http://WomenInBiometrics.com

Feb. 1 webinar explores how mobile ordering enhanced campus life, increased sales at UVA and Central Washington @Grubhub @CBORD

Load More...
Contact
CampusIDNews is published by AVISIAN Publishing
315 E. Georgia St.
Tallahassee, FL 32301
www.AVISIAN.com[email protected]
Use our contact form to submit tips, corrections, or questions to our team.
©2024 CampusIDNews. All rights reserved.