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Delivery Robots Are Being Tested On U of A Campus

FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) — Things are getting high-tech on the University of Arkansas campus. You may spot robots driving around as part of a test program. Two...

FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) -- Things are getting high-tech on the University of Arkansas campus.

You may spot robots driving around as part of a test program.

Two of Starship Technologies delivery robots are being tested on campus at the McMillon Innovation Studio. Kayla Bruskas is the team leader for U.S. Operations with Starship. She said they can now move along the sidewalk on their own to make deliveries.

“They're able to completely avoid and detect people, dogs, children, just a little bit of everything. So they have a bubble of awareness around them that allows them to maneuver the sidewalks,” Bruskas said.

The Starship robots can go up to a two-mile radius. In the future, they could deliver you take-out meals, groceries and packages for as little as a dollar.

Bruskas said the testing program includes social acceptance and part testing, which means both the company and the school get insight into supply chain and engineering.

“We really are the center of supply chain where companies and Walmart combined are kind of bringing this new energy of supply chain and the latest technologies to the Northwest Arkansas area,” she said.

Bruskas said when they first introduced the robots on campus everyone was taking pictures of them.

“After a certain point, they're ignored and we've figured out that almost 80 percent of the time after robots have been deployed in the area, they are just completely ignored. So at first I was heartbroken, I was like 'take pictures of my robot' but it shows actually how well the robots blend into our community,” she said.

The Starship robots were the first thing to come into the McMillon Innovation Studio on campus. Starship has tested the delivery robots in 60 cities and 15 countries.

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