Delivery bots, roll out! Robots now delivering food across University of Akron campus

Is there anything worse than being hangry?

Yes, being a hangry college student with three upcoming exams and two essay due dates on the horizon.

Luckily, the University of Akron has found a robotic solution to its students’ hunger pangs.

Oh, and did we mention it can sing and dance?

Those late-night munchies will never be the same.

Robots roam the University of Akron

The University of Akron rolled out a campus-wide robot food delivery service Wednesday in partnership with Starship Technologies, creator of the robots, and Aramark.

A fleet of 10 autonomous, on-demand robots now deliver from several campus eateries, including Starbucks, Qdoba, Panda Express, Auntie Anne’s, The Spread and Freshens.

To order, students download the Starship app, select the University of Akron, and assemble their feast (each robot can carry the equivalent of about three shopping bags of goods). They then drop a pin where the delivery will be sent.

Users can watch the robot's journey via an interactive map. Once the robot arrives, they receive an alert and can then meet and unlock it through the app.

“College communities love convenience and technology, and food robots are a fun way to combine the two,” the University said in a statement. “If a member of the campus community is busy, wants to social distance, or is just too tired to walk to the [Student] Union, they can easily dispatch one of the robots to bring food right to their location.”

The service works in conjunction with student meal plans, or individuals can pay by credit card on the app. Users are charged a $2.49 delivery fee and a 10% service fee.

UA students weigh in on robots

University of Akron students Nehemiah Hughes and Emilia Radonjich both live near campus but have opposing thoughts when it comes to the robots.

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Second-year student Hughes said he is unlikely to use the robots but thinks they are interesting, nonetheless. First-year student Radonjich, on the other hand, said she will use them at some point.

So, if they were to use the robots, what restaurant would they order from?

For Radonjich it’s Five Guys. Hughes opted for Chipotle.

Neither are on campus, so the likelihood of those orders being filled is low right now – but what’s the harm in dreaming?

UA robots deliver, sing, dance

Before checking out, customers also get to choose the personality of their delivery robot. Options include Sunshine (radiating positivity wherever she goes), Asher (the most laid-back bot on campus) and Harry (the posh British bot).

Picking which song plays when the robot’s lid unlocks is yet another customizable part of the delivery experience. The robot playlist will rotate regularly, according to Starship Technologies project manager Joe Maloney, who demonstrated the robot’s ability to dance during the filming of a promotional video with Zippy.

How it works

The robots use a combination of machine learning, artificial intelligence and sensors to travel on sidewalks and navigate around obstacles. The computer’s vision-based navigation helps the robots map their environment to the nearest inch. They can cross streets, climb curbs, travel at night and operate in rain and snow. A team of humans can also monitor their progress remotely and can take control at a moment’s notice.

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According to Maloney, most college students adopt the little six-wheeled stunt artists as secondary mascots or pets, so theft isn’t a huge concern. But just in case, each robot automatically emits an alarm if it is tilted over too much.

The university is the 17th Aramark campus to launch Starship delivery, which is already providing robots to Purdue University, James Madison University, University of Mississippi and Arizona State University, among others. Since launch, all campuses have increased the number of robots to meet the demand.

Got a story recommendation? Contact Beacon Journal reporter Tawney Beans at tbeans@gannett.com and on Twitter @TawneyBeans. And follow her adventures on TikTok @akronbeaconjournal.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: University of Akron launches food delivery robots with personality