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.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter

RECENT POSTS

May 26, 23 / ,

Penn State adds mobile ordering to campus app

Penn State has added a mobile ordering feature to its comprehensive campus mobile app, Penn State Go. The Penn State Eats Mobile function is available for use by students on the flagship University Park campus, as well as across the university's Commonwealth Campuses.
May 26, 23 / ,

NAU leverages delivery robots to support late-night dining

Northern Arizona is leveraging Starship delivery robots and the mobile ordering app in a clever way to prop up late night dining, and putting a twist on the ghost kitchen concept. The university has launched its Hole in the Wall dining window that now serves either pickup or robot delivery for students by offering a number of dining concepts all from a single, concession-style window.
May 25, 23 / ,

HID's Technology Partner Program helps companies develop mobile solutions

Trusted identity solutions provider, HID Global, has announced its HID Origo Technology Partner Program, the company’s first program dedicated to partners with a focus on mobile technologies. The Origo Technology Partner Program is designed to help technology partners by providing the ideal platform for organizations to design, test, and market products that integrate with HID Origo via APIs and SDKs.
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

Join us, @NACCUorg, and @TouchNet to explore how campus card programs can successfully navigate the sales and procurement process. Join the webinar on June 6, 2 pm EDT. https://go.touchnet.com/l/652093/2022-05-18/lsndq

Webinar: Learn how the University of Arizona uses campus cards, mobile ordering, kiosks, lockers, and robots to revolutionize campus dining. April 7, 2-2:30 EDT. Register Now at https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7821245544009488910?source=campus-id

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.
©2023 CampusIDNews. All rights reserved.