EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITIES
Robots that always deliver
Fully autonomous machines that bring parcels right to your door, no matter which floor you’re on.
We’ve all heard about the work from home revolution that’s been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. As companies across the world have seen that staff can be as or even more productive working remotely, many have switched to hybrid offices that give individuals flexibility on where they are based.
But the pandemic and the shift towards remote working have accelerated another trend – home deliveries.
Naturally, when most retail outlets were closed there was a huge spike in online orders as it was the only way to get hold of goods. This levelled out as lockdowns ended, but again, as people have realised the convenience of home deliveries, they are continuing to steadily grow at a much higher rate than before.
For shoppers and delivery drivers alike this is easy enough if you live in a house with your own front door, but what if you live in an apartment block? Either the delivery driver has to spend lots more time and energy getting to each individual door within the building, or goods have to be delivered to a reception area and distributed or collected from there. The latter raises potential security and capacity issues that make it less feasible as time goes on. And delivery drivers want to make their drop-offs as quickly as possible to ensure they get round all their customers.
Soon, there will be another solution available that’s ideal for both residents and delivery drivers alike.
Introducing Lu
Lu is the flagship product from Earth Robotics that’s set to make apartment block deliveries easier for everyone.
It’s a fully autonomous robot that will take packages from the main entrance to the front door of the recipient, all by itself.
“When we say fully autonomous, we mean no human intervention is required at all,” explains Earth Robotics COO and co-founder, Amir Emacha. “Other autonomous robots and vehicles are currently what’s known as level 3. This means they can do a certain amount themselves but will require someone to constantly monitor or take over operation at some point. Lu is level 5, as it operates entirely independently, thanks to the ecosystem we create inside the building.”
The first stage of implementing Lu is to map the building where it will be installed using lidar. An elevator control system is then installed along with a Wi-Fi mesh to ensure full network and GPS coverage throughout. This enables Lu to call the elevator and be taken to whichever floor it is delivering to. Lu is equipped with six cameras to give it full 360-degree vision, allowing it to identify obstacles and navigate smoothly around the building.
Once all the hardware is setup, residents just need to download an app to receive packages. They get a notification when a delivery has arrived, and they can choose to have it brought to them immediately or schedule it for later. Lu sends another notification when it arrives and the resident simply opens their door and picks up their package, using the app to unlock the secure case.
Similarly, delivery drivers use a kiosk when dropping off packages. They enter the apartment number and any other key details, then place the package inside the robot and take a receipt for proof of delivery. Just as if they were delivering to an Amazon locker, for instance.
Hardware and software in perfect synchronization
Emacha previously worked in software development, and he says the biggest challenge at Earth Robotics has been combining software with hardware. “You need to ensure the development of both is always in sync,” he explains. “So, it’s vital the technology we use helps the software and hardware be designed together.”
He knew that for Earth Robotics to succeed, they would need the very best tools on the market. “We were fortunate enough to find a Siemens partner, Maya HTT, who guided us in the right direction. They helped us choose the best products for what we are doing and showed us how to get the most out of them.”
These tools allow the team to design and test Lu first in a virtual environment, and then to combine physical testing and simulation as they optimize the final design. The simulation environment also enables validation of software updates before they are applied to physical robots.
The robot manufacturer also benefitted from Siemens special packaging and pricing which makes these cutting-edge tools more accessible and affordable for small, medium-sized, and start-up companies.
Coming to a building near you soon?
Earth Robotics are currently carrying out the first pilot of Lu in Miami, Florida, where they are headquartered. They have found a building with 700 apartments that typically receives over 400 packages per day - perfect to illustrate how efficient Lu can be. The pilot started with three robots handling deliveries for the first 10% of the building and has since gradually expanded.
The team are working closely with the building owners and residents to ensure a successful adoption of the technology and to overcome any user issues. “It’s vital to understand the flow of robots and people around the building, especially in the elevators,” says Emacha. “If the robots get in the residents’ way then we will only be solving the delivery problem by creating a traffic problem, which is no good. The adoption plan is designed to make sure residents are benefiting and not seeing any downside.”
Clearly, deliveries within buildings is a task perfect for autonomous robots like Lu. And it’s only a matter of time before they’ll be widely available in apartment blocks across the world. It certainly seems as though they’ll be with us long before level 5 fully autonomous vehicles that don’t need a human ready to take control in an instant. Head to https://www.earthrobotics.co/ for the latest updates on Lu and to find out when it could be coming to a building near you.
