Starship Technologies announced plans to expand its autonomous delivery service to 100 university campuses in the next 24 months.
The company, which recently completed 100,000 commercial deliveries, has scheduled autumn launches at Purdue University and the University of Pittsburgh.
More schools will follow “shortly.”
Starship, which makes restaurant and grocery deliveries around the world has transported more than 6,000 pizzas, 7,000 gallons of milk, 8,000 coffees, 9,000 sushi rolls, 15,000 bananas, and 3,700 diapers.
Kevin House, a second-year student at George Mason University, has used the service “over 100 times in just a few months.”
“It’s really saved me so much time and reduced my stress, especially around finals,” he said in a statement. “I love getting food delivered by a robot, it just makes life so much easier.”
Available on iOS and Android, the Starship Delivery app lets users choose from a range of food or drink items, then drop a pin where they want the shipment sent.
Watch the robot’s journey via an interactive map, or wait for a notification alerting you to its arrival; then meet and unlock the rover through the app.
Introduced four years ago by two former Skype creators, Starship’s on-demand dispatchers aim to eliminate the cost, waiting time, and environmental impact of local drop-offs.
Built for short-range deliveries, the six-wheeled robots are equipped with a suite of sensors—including cameras, GPS, and an internal measurement unit—as well as microphones and speakers to communicate with people.
They cruise along sidewalks at a pace equivalent to a brisk walk (less than 4 mph), and can comfortably fit up to two grocery bags’ worth of cargo.
Starship’s robot delivery service began rolling out to university campuses this year, starting with George Mason University in Virginia and Northern Arizona University.
Since launch, both schools have increased the number of robots, dining options, and hours of operation to meet high demand.
“An entire generation of university students are growing up in a world where they expect to receive a delivery from a robot after a few taps on their smartphone,” company CEO Lex Bayer said.
“The reception to our service both on campuses and in neighborhoods has been phenomenal,” he continued. “Our customers appreciate how we make their lives easier and give them back the gift of time.”
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