delivery Archives - Tech Podcast Network

Ottonomy delivery robots Over the past few years, the idea of getting things – anything – delivered directly to your door has grown in popularity. The internet has given us access to goods and services all over the world, while the change in environment has made many of us stay in the house much of the time. To address this altered reality, Ottonomy has developed an exciting line of autonomous robots that can deliver nearly anything straight to your home or office.

Who is Ottonomy?

Ottonomy, the company behind the world’s first autonomous delivery robots, is quickly gaining notoriety in the robotics industry. Its robots are designed to help navigate businesses with staffing shortages for retail and restaurant industries. Their fully autonomous robots can deliver food & beverages, groceries, and packages to curbside, last mile, and even indoor environments. These robots are available on a “RaaS” (Robotics as a Service) model. Their business customers get access to a quicker, safer, and more economical delivery option as compared to traditional 3rd party delivery services. Above all these robots are set to reduce carbon emissions and improve quality of life.

Ottonomy’s delivery robots

The Ottonomy robots are designed to deliver food, groceries, packages, and other items directly to a customer’s home or office. They have three different robot models – the Ottobot (footprint is slightly smaller than an SUV), Ottobot Mini (for indoor deliveries), and Ottobox (a refrigerated version). The Ottobots have been tested at several locations in Canada including the Toronto Zoo, University of Waterloo, and McMaster Innovation Park. Over 15K pounds of goods have been delivered by Ottonomy robots in Ontario alone.

While this particular concept may not be new for some companies – Starship Technologies offers delivery bots that can carry up to 20lbs – few others have managed to actually put their robots into operation. Ottonomy is looking to change that by doing things a bit differently. Ottonomy has taken the time to develop relationships with local businesses in Ontario, Canada as well as with government leaders and regulators. The Ottobots are also great for shorter distances, so they can operate within smaller cities where similar delivery services aren’t currently available or viable due to lack of business density and high overhead costs from full-time employees.

How is Ottonomy different?

Ottonomy partners directly with retailers & restaurants while others work more on the “last mile” segment (i.e., delivering goods from UPS). Restaurants, in particular, have been quick to adopt Ottobots because of the lack of staff during off-peak hours. For example, Ottnomoy has partnered with CVG Airport in Cincinnati, Ohio. Their robots roam the airport autonomously and will stop wherever guests have placed an order to deliver a hot beverage or a meal.

Summary

The Ottobots are currently being piloted at various locations in Canada and CVG Airport in Cincinnati, Ohio, with plans for global expansion soon. If you’re interested in learning more about Ottonomy or want to see the Ottbots in action, be sure to check out their website.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central.

Sponsored by:
Get $5 to protect your credit card information online with Privacy.
Amazon Prime gives you more than just free shipping. Get free music, TV shows, movies, videogames and more.
The most flexible tools for podcasting. Get a 30 day free trial of storage and statistics.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS | More

Package Clipper protector These days, package theft is a huge issue. Chances are, you or someone you know has had at least one item stolen off of the front porch. We have even had a review product stolen from our office after being delivered. The problem gets worse year over year, and it has been incredibly difficult to solve. Fortunately, Package Protector is here with a simple and effective solution – Package Clipper.

We’ve seen companies with products to help with this problem before. But, in general, the solutions involve either laying down concrete or mounting something to the ground or wall. While this may work for some people, there are large collections of people who don’t have this option. For example, if you live in an apartment, condo, or an HOA with strong regulations, the chances of mounting a large box to place packages into are unlikely. Even if you can install something large, you may not want to because it can be unattractive.

Package Clipper has a very small base that can be mounted unobtrusively by your front door. Rather than being a box, it has clips at the end of leads that clip onto boxes or envelopes once delivered. Once clipped, the system is armed, and removing the clip sets off an alarm. Being a connected device, you can also get an alarm while away from home, via your phone.

Of course, the biggest challenge is getting the delivery drivers to actually use the Package Clipper. The company’s solution to this issue is Package Tipper, which gives the recipient the ability to tip their driver for using the system. The driver simply scans the QR code on the base unit with the driver’s app, which lets you know it’s been delivered, and gives you the ability to send a tip to the driver.

The Package Clipper is expected to enter crowdfunding in quarter 2 of 2021 with an expected retail cost of $69.99. For more information, check out the company’s website.