Autonomous delivery robot during the epidemic
From Michigan, USA to Tokyo, Japan, the epidemic has caused a surge in demand for contactless delivery robots.
Since the beginning of the epidemic, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the lunch orders of Refraction AI's last mile REV-1 automatic delivery robot have increased fourfold. The company started operations in July 2019, and they created a delivery robot that specializes in local delivery for stores and customers. Residents of Ann Arbor who are currently undergoing a pilot program can register for REV-1’s lunch delivery service, which can be delivered to various restaurants in Asia and Mexico.
The delivery robot uses deep learning algorithms to correctly interpret the data collected from on-board sensors, LiDAR and cameras, so as to make wise decisions and achieve cost-effective delivery. At the same time it can avoid pedestrians, cyclists, curbs, trees and street lights. They can even obey the traffic light traffic rules.
In order to minimize the delivery needs of human contact, other companies currently operating delivery robots include Amazon, Google, FedEx, Starship Technologies, Robomart, and Kiwi. The robots of these companies have been delivering food to students in dozens of campuses across the country, including Harvard, Stanford and Cornell since last year.
At the same time, in Japan, the epidemic has led to a significant increase in demand for services that reduce contact with people, and robots provide the answer. Japanese companies are now evaluating the potential of automated robots that can deliver products directly to consumers from nearby warehouses or stores.
The Japanese robot company ZMP will start a trial operation of the DeliRo automatic robot in central Tokyo in mid-August to provide soba noodles to customers near the train station. Customers can use tablets to place orders, make online payments, and have robots deliver food in designated test areas. Unlike the low-traffic roads on the outskirts of Ann Arbor, the streets in central Tokyo are bustling, which poses difficult obstacle challenges for robots.
ZMP and other automated robotics companies are experimenting with potential solutions to meet the growing demand for delivery services. These services can promote social distancing while reducing contact with people during the epidemic.
The Japanese government also strongly supports the development and use of automated delivery services in order to alleviate the severe labor shortage caused by the rapid aging of the population and the low birth rate. The main task of the government is to create a new transportation framework to regulate driverless cars. Because the existing laws do not include these self-driving cars, which prevents them from being tested on public roads.
autonomous delivery robot