Postmates, the logistics firm, has unveiled a robot called Serve that will deliver groceries—and lunch—to residents in Los Angeles.
The news: Serve, which looks like a lunchbox on wheels, will travel along sidewalks at walking speed and cover about 30 miles on a single charge, the firm said. It can carry 50 pounds (that’s a lot of burritos). Users will use their smartphone or a code to unlock the robot to get at their food. According to Wired, Serve will travel most of the way with Postmates drivers in a car before being dispatched to take the delivery to the customer’s door.
Out my way: Serve will use lidar sensors to avoid obstacles and pedestrians and has a ring of light on its “head” to indicate an upcoming turn. Following the gaze of its cartoonish, blinking digital eyes also gives users an idea about where it’s heading. A video touch screen lets people interact with it or tell Postmates if there are any problems, although it will also be monitored remotely.
Don’t settle for half the story.
Get paywall-free access to technology news for the here and now.
