University of Minnesota students can now have meals from spots like Panda Express and Starbucks delivered right to them by autonomous robots, a new feature in campus dining.
"We're thrilled to offer this food delivery option to our community members," Alice Roberts-Davis, vice president of University Services, said in a news release on Wednesday.
In addition to chain restaurants, students, faculty, staff and visitors will be able to order food and drinks using the Starship app from Erbert & Gerbert's at Coffman Memorial Union for delivery across the campus, according to the school.
Once an order is placed, an autonomous robot will deliver the meal, and customers can track its journey in real-time on an interactive map. When the robot arrives, users can unlock it through the app to retrieve their food.
"We've been doing deliveries on college campuses since 2019 and those students and staff have enjoyed the convenience of having food delivered when and where they want it. That means fewer skipped meals, sleeping in a bit longer, and more time for studying or hanging out with friends," Chris Neider, vice president of business development at Starship Technologies, said in the release.
School officials said robots can cross streets, climb curbs and operate in all weather conditions, including rain, snow and at night since they are equipped with advanced machine learning, artificial intelligence and sensors to navigate sidewalks and avoid obstacles.
