University of Minnesota Students Enjoy the Convenience of Food Delivery Robots
University of Minnesota Twin Cities community members will see food delivery robots — powered by Starship Technologies — rolling around campus. They are part of the first University-run food delivery service on the Twin Cities campus and are the first technology of this kind approved in Minneapolis.
Via the Starship app, students, faculty, staff and visitors can order delivery to almost anywhere on the East Bank from Panda Express, Starbucks and Erbert & Gerbert’s in Coffman Memorial Union. One of the autonomous robots will then travel to the person who placed the order, who can follow the robot’s progress on an interactive map. When it arrives, customers unlock the robot through the app to retrieve their food.
“We’re thrilled to offer this food delivery option to our community members,” said Alice Roberts-Davis, vice president of University Services. “Starship’s delivery service fulfills the University’s commitment to accessibility by offering a convenient option for students, faculty and staff who may have mobility issues or tight schedules. In addition, the robots are battery-powered, making them a sustainable option by reducing the carbon footprint of traditional automobile-based deliveries.”
“We’re looking forward to seeing how the campus community embraces our robots,” said Chris Neider, vice president of business development at Starship Technologies. “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. And, in the case of the Golden Gophers’ campus, it also means getting deliveries during the frigid winter weather!”
The robots use a combination of sophisticated machine learning, artificial intelligence and sensors to travel on sidewalks and navigate obstacles. The robots can cross streets, climb curbs, travel at night and operate in both rain and snow.
“We’re incredibly grateful to M Food Co. — managed by Chartwells Higher Education — for overseeing this program, along with the City of Minneapolis government officials and the Public Works Department who helped get this service approved,” said Roberts-Davis.