These cute electric robots may soon deliver your dinner
Kiwibot is a last-mile delivery service that has completed over 150,000 food deliveries using electric semi-autonomous robots. Yesterday, the company announced its official expansion into San Jose, Miami-Dade County, Pittsburgh, and Detroit. Each of the four cities will be given up to 10 robots with one human supervisor.
How does Kiwibot work?
Kiwibot delivers food using electric semi-autonomous robots. They look like cute lunchboxes on wheels with a cheeky little flag. (Come to think of it, I guess they are lunchboxes on wheels.) Kiwibot has built 400 robots since it launched in 2017 and deployed them on the University of California-Berkeley campus and in San Jose in 2020. It’s also been running pilot programs in the above four cities.
Kiwibots secure their cargo using a locking door. The robots open the Inner Container Door without human help at the restaurant. The restaurant staff then places the food inside the container. As soon as the food is secured inside, the robot automatically closes and locks the door.
When the Kiwibot reaches its delivery destination, it sends an app notification that allows the person to click “unlock door.” The door automatically opens, and the customer removes their food. Then the robot’s door closes and automatically locks again.
Kiwibot has been charging $3.99 per delivery, a cost that businesses can choose to absorb or pass on to consumers.
Does Kiwibot have a bigger purpose?
Yes. The company is partnered with the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, which launched a self-driving initiative in 2018.
Kiwibot and the Knight Foundation have been working to increase opportunities for locally owned businesses. They also want to provide more equitable access to food, medication, and other goods.
Further, Kiwibot and the Knight Foundation want to ensure that the robots are deployed in areas where they can operate safely among pedestrians, bicycles, and vehicles.
What does Kiwibot mean by semi-autonomous?
TechCrunch explained in July 2020, when Kiwibot launched its pilot in San Jose:
The delivery bots are equipped with a camera and are capable of detecting objects and navigating around them. However, the bots are also supported and controlled remotely by humans in certain scenarios, who can monitor up to three robots remotely. These teleoperators, or supervisors, as Kiwibot calls them, provide path planning, a method of setting and adjusting way points along a route. They can also step in and take direct control of the bot when problems arise. The supervisors, many of which are located in Colombia, from where [CEO Felipe] Chavez and his cofounder Sergio Pachón originally hail, also control the bot on all traffic crossings, according to the company.
What’s the robots’ range, and how do they charge?
They can operate for at least 10 hours, and they can achieve a distance of up to 12.4 miles (20 km) within those 10 hours. They are completely electric and take four hours to charge. They charge on a 120v outlet.
Do the robots do anything else besides look cute and deliver burritos?
Yes. They map areas and collect sidewalk and infrastructure data using the Mobility Data Specifications (MDS) framework and an automated data collection system.
Further, Kiwibot’s robots could eventually share data about sidewalk conditions and vehicle and pedestrian traffic with city authorities, helping US cities become more accessible and safer.
How do we know the robots actually work?
Since June 2021, Kiwibot’s robots in the four cities have already traveled 1,455 miles, mapped 368 miles, and delivered 20,000 data points for city and county authorities.
Electrek’s Take
We cover electric vehicles. These robots are electric vehicles. And so far, so good, with Kiwibot’s deployment of these little guys.
Last-mile deliveries have skyrocketed, thanks to the pandemic. If the robots can operate on streets able to accommodate them and get gas cars off the streets and thus reduce emissions, congestion, and traffic, then we’re all for them. They’re an electric last-mile solution.
And as the US is – hopefully – on the brink of a major infrastructure overhaul, gathering data to roll out more efficient upgrades to city streets is only going to help. You get your burrito, your city finds out what needs fixing, everybody wins.
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Entertainment
Snoop Dogg becomes co-owner and investor of Swansea football club saying it’s ‘an underdog just like me’
Police are taking no further action over Kneecap’s performance at Glastonbury.
Officers said they had investigated “comments about a forthcoming court case made during Kneecap’s performance” at the festival on 28 June.
However, after Crown Prosecution Service advice, they decided there is not enough evidence “to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence”.
The Avon & Somerset force started investigating the Irish group’s show last month, as well as comments by punk-rap duo Bob Vylan.
It said they were looking at a possible public order incident.
Police said on Friday that the investigation into Bob Vylan’s performance was ongoing.
The London duo were widely criticised – and caused a BBC crisis – after leading on-stage chants of “death to the IDF” (Israel Defence Forces).
Kneecap’s Liam Og O Hannaidh appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in June. Pic: PA
Kneecap posted a photograph on Instagram, which the group said was an email from police announcing the case was being dropped.
They said their packed Glastonbury gig was a “celebration of love and solidarity” and reporting used “wildly misleading headlines”.
Fears over what Kneecap might do or say during the performance had prompted the BBC not to show it live.
The group said: “Every single person who saw our set knew no law was broken, not even close… yet the police saw fit to publicly announce they were opening an investigation.”
“There is no public apology, they don’t send this to media or post it on police accounts,” they added.
The police statement on Friday said they had informed Kneecap of their decision to drop the case.
Read more from Sky News:
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One of the group’s members appeared in court in June charged with a terror offence.
Liam Og O hAnnaidh is accused of displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah, a proscribed organisation in the UK, at a gig last year.
He was released on unconditional bail ahead of a second court appearance in August.
Entertainment
Tomorrowland: ‘Devastating’ blaze destroys main stage at major festival – two days before it was due to begin
A huge fire has destroyed the main stage of a major festival in Belgium – two days before it was due to begin.
Tomorrowland is a dance music event as big as Glastonbury – and David Guetta was due to perform.
Footage showed flames and thick plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday.
The fire gutted the main stage
Fire crews attempt to bring the blaze under control
The annual festival in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts about 400,000 people over two consecutive weekends.
It is famous for its immersive and elaborate designs and attracts big names within dance music – including Guetta, best known for tracks When Love Takes Over and Titanium.
Dutch DJs Martin Garrix and Charlotte de Witte were also due to perform, along with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Alok.
Black smoke could be seen rising into the sky
The festival’s website described the creative elements which went into the elaborate main stage.
The theme, described as Orbyz, was “set in a magical universe made entirely out of ice” and “full of mythical creatures”.
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Organisers said no one was injured in the blaze but confirmed “our beloved main stage has been severely damaged”, adding they were “devastated”.
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen added: “We received some truly terrible news today. A fire broke out on the Tomorrowland site … and our main stage was essentially destroyed there, which is truly awful.
“That’s a stage that took years to build, with so much love and passion. So I think a lot of people are devastated.”
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen told reporters ‘a lot of people are devastated’
Despite the fire, Tomorrowland organisers said they were still expecting 38,000 festivalgoers at DreamVille, the event’s campsite.
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