Before the robots overthrow humanity, they’re going to be delivering piping hot pizza right to our doors: or at least they will if the latest experiment by Domino’s in Australia is anything to go by.
The Domino’s Robotic Unit (DRU) being demoed by the company is made up of two parts: a robot created in partnership with Marathon Robotics based on a military design, and a pizza oven that you need a PIN code to unlock (just in case someone else should try and make off with its precious cargo).
“DRU is able to navigate from a starting point to his destination, selecting the best path of travel,” says Domino’s. “His on-board sensors enable him to perceive obstacles along the way and avoid them if necessary.”
Pizza the action
The robot is real – and has successfully completed a trial run already – but it isn’t going into action just yet. More testing is required before that happens, and presumably more in the way of safety assessment, before DRU is going to start turning up on doorsteps.
Domino’s says it’s in a race with its competitors to perfect the technology first, which apparently provides a better experience for customers thanks to its embedded GPS smarts and built-in heating and cooling components.
While it may seem gimmicky in 2016, there’s no doubt that autonomous robot deliveries will soon become very normal indeed. Amazon has made no secret of its attempts to develop drones that can drop off packages, and the advantage of airborne robots is they can’t be as easily sabotaged on their way to your home.
London has also seen its own trials with delivery robots. Starship is a delivery robot made by the founders of Skype and can be seen trundling around Greenwich.
Source: techradar.com
