Florida Polytechnic University in the US has rolled out on-campus food delivery robots in partnership with Phoenix Dining and Starship Technologies.
The rollout currently covers deliveries from brands such as Einstein Bros Bagels, Mosaic Café, and Fire & Ash, with additional outlets expected to be added later.
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Florida Poly auxiliary enterprises director Dr Kerri Demeri said: “These food delivery robots offer an exciting new way for our busy students, faculty and staff to quickly and conveniently enjoy a great meal, no matter where they are.”
The battery-powered delivery robots are claimed to be zero-emission units and rely on a mix of machine learning, AI and sensor technology to travel along pavements and avoid obstacles.
The robots are said to have been designed to cross roads, handle kerbs and continue operations in rainy weather.
Their computer vision navigation system is said to enable detailed mapping of their surroundings to a very fine level of accuracy.
The new service supports menu customisation and replaces the university’s previous Boost mobile ordering app.
It integrates with existing campus dining options, including student meal plans, Phoenix Funds and meal exchanges.
To use the service, students need to download the Starship Food Delivery app, mark their desired drop-off point on a map, tailor their order and then monitor the robot’s progress in real time.
Once the robot arrives at the specified location, the customer receives a notification and can go to the unit to retrieve their order.
Florida Poly is also the first university in the US to adopt Starship’s new point-of-sale (POS) platform as part of the agreement.
The system is intended to coordinate in-person ordering with robot delivery, mobile pick-up and touchscreen self-service kiosks.
Starship Technologies operations senior vice-president Pepe Aaviksoo said: “Our Starship 360 platform was built for campuses that are ready to rethink how dining fits into student life.
“By piloting our point-of-sale system and launching our full Starship 360 solution at Florida Poly, we’re creating a dining experience designed around how students actually live – flexible, convenient, and always accessible.”
