Shenandoah University is the latest institution to bring robot delivery to campus, selecting Kiwibot to be its provider. The Kiwibot initiative is being provided in partnership with Shenandoah's food-service provider, Sodexo, and will see the semi-autonomous robots pick up and deliver food to selected drop-off locations on campus.
According to a report from The Augusta Free Press, Shenandoah students can now place mobile food orders through the Everyday app. Students can then track their order and follow the robot’s progress in real-time.
In its first semester of operation, Shenandoah is offering the robot delivery service with no added delivery fee.
Shenandoah joins a roster of 26 universities to have deployed Kiwibot delivery on campus. At the outset, 15 Shenandoah has opted to deploy a fleet of 15 robots. As with other solutions, robot delivery at Shenandoah will feature zero carbon emissions, and help to reduce the carbon footprint on the Winchester campus.
Shenandoah is benefitting from Kiwibot's partnership with food-service and facilities management provider, Sodexo.
Separately, Kiwibot also has an existing partnership with Grubhub that is providing robot delivery services on college campuses across the United States for mobile orders made through Grubhub.
“Students truly enjoy having the Kiwibots on campus. It is a convenient way to obtain food and beverages when students are busy with classes, performances, and practices,” says Yolanda Barbier Gibson, Vice President for Student Affairs at Shenandoah University. “We are glad that we have the ability to provide this service to our students.”
Kiwibots can operate in extreme weather conditions, including snow, and move at walking pace. The delivery robots are capable of navigating campus sidewalks and crosswalks, can carry up to 25 pounds per trip, and can typically complete a delivery in a matter of minutes depending on the chosen delivery location.