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FedEx Turns To Segway Inventor To Build Delivery Robot (cnn.com)
FedEx is the latest company to join the delivery robot craze. The company said Wednesday it will test a six-wheeled, autonomous robot called the SameDay Bot in Memphis, Tenn. this summer and plans to expand to more cities. From a report: It's partnering with major brands, including Walmart, Target, Pizza Hut and AutoZone, to understand how delivery robots could help other businesses. FedEx's interest highlights how businesses are increasingly focused on automating deliveries. It also raises concerns about the impact on cities and employment, as robots crowd sidewalks and delivery jobs are automated. FedEx's robot has a top speed of 10 mph and can carry about 100 pounds. A company spokesman said its typical speed would vary depending on the route. The robot relies on sensors typically used on self-driving cars to identify and avoid pedestrians.
If these did become popular, it's not too hard to imagine buildings installing a dumbwaiter that could be used by these robots. If it's a building that already has an elevator, there's no reason you could program the robot to use that and develop a way for them to interface with existing systems. Another alternative is that a robot can deliver it to a particular location and a drone can always carry it up to a balcony assuming it's not anything too heavy.