Developed by the University of Michigan’s spinoff company, the REV-1 aims to revolutionize autonomous delivery systems.
The next time you happen to find yourself ordering lunch in Ann Arbor, Michigan, don’t be surprised if your food is delivered by a silver three-wheeled driverless pod thingy. Chances are you will be served by an autonomous delivery robot.
The REV-1 has been specifically built by Refraction AI for last-mile deliveries in urban communities. A few of such robots are currently in use in the Ann Arbor community of Michigan. Within the specified 2.5-mile operating radius, customers can summon the robot to deliver their food when ordering from 6 partner restaurants.
The way it functions is also relatively simple; when customers place orders from a dedicated app, the REV-1 shows up at the restaurant’s doorstep, and an employee will place the food in its rather spacious, 16 cubic-feet storage compartment. Then the REV-1 will navigate itself to the customers. Upon reaching its destination, the customer will get a text message notifying them about the robot’s arrival. The text will also include a four-digit passcode that the customer will need to access the storage compartment.
To power itself, the robot uses a small electric motor to achieve a top speed of 12 mph. As it only weighs 100 lbs, the lightweight and low-power approach adopted by Refraction AI enables the REV-1 to be classified as an e-bike, allowing it to use dedicated bike lanes to travel safely.
The robot relies on a combination of different positioning systems such as GPS, LIDAR, radar, and ultrasound sensors to navigate the busy streets. Moreover, the REV-1 also has 12 onboard optical cameras providing a 360-degree view of its surroundings.
We are looking forward to seeing how many delivery chains opt for roadgoing autonomous robots instead of quadcopter drones.
More details on Refraction AI’s website.
