Autonomous food delivery robots have arrived at Towson University, to an announcement from the university.
The fleet of five robots, manufactured through Starship Technologies, will supply food from six restaurants on campus, the Union Food Market’s Bento Sushi, Dunkin’, Jack’s Burrito, Halal Shack, Roar Pizza Co. and the Den at Paws.
The TU student, staff, and university can order through the Grubhub app and choose their pieces at one of the campus dropout locations. The service works in conjunction with the students’ meal plan, the university said.
When transported, food is contained inside insulated compartments to save you from spills and food and beverages remain at the desired temperature.
The university said the robots are designed to “act as pedestrians,” employing radar, sensors and GPS generation on campus sidewalks, tripping over tripping blocks and navigating crosswalks.
Alarms, cameras, and tracking gadgets protect the robots from flight workers and alert them when needed.
The food delivery robots are in position at about 55 schools and universities across the country, adding the University of Notre Dame, the University of Kentucky, Fairfield University, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Southern Methodist University, Towson said.
The University of Minnesota followed Starship’s delivery robots in October 2024. Vice President of University Services Alice Roberts-Davis told CBS News that the service has helped academics and the university get food with less accessibility.
In February 202, CBS New York reported that Uber Eats brought delivery robots at Jersey City, New Jersey. The robots can about five mph and have sensors to avoid collisions with pedestrians and vehicles.
To use the robot’s delivery service, users want to open the Grubhub app, the location for their delivery to ship and then from a diversity of food and beverage items.
Users can see the robot traveling there on an interactive map.
When the robot arrives, users get an alert and can comply with the robot and through the app.
“This new fleet of robots wandering through our Campus embraces the generation and the student will delight in providing a reliable delivery of contact without contact, giving them more time to concentrate on the life of the campus,” said Vernon Hurte, Executive Vice President of Student Affairs and University Life.