In the event you reside within the Swiss municipality of Regensdorf, it’s possible you’ll quickly be getting packages delivered to the doorstep by a robotic. The area is the placement of a discipline take a look at that was simply launched by Swiss Put up, grocery supply firm Migros On-line, and robotics agency RIVR.
Common readers of our web site might already be accustomed to the ANYmal robotic, developed at Switzerland’s ETH Zurich college. The quadruped bot has 4 legs that may be outfitted with wheels as a substitute of standard foot pads.
When these wheels are locked up, they serve as rubber-treaded toes, permitting the robotic to climb stairs, step over obstacles, and stroll throughout tough terrain. When the wheels are free to spin, they permit the robotic to zip throughout easy, flat surfaces (akin to pavement) a lot quicker and extra energy-efficiently than it might if it have been strolling.
Properly, RIVR ONE is a business model of ANYmal, manufactured by ETH spinoff firm RIVR (previously Swiss-Mile). Guided by {hardware} akin to LiDAR, optical cameras and GPS, it is capable of autonomously make its means alongside metropolis streets, avoiding obstacles whereas carrying a payload in a locked cargo field on its again.

RIVR
Within the new Regensdorf trial, RIVR ONE robots might be hitching rides in Swiss Put up supply vans, then carrying choose Swiss Put up parcels and Migros On-line grocery deliveries from these vans to purchasers’ doorsteps. And though the robots might be doing so autonomously, people might be supervising, to allow them to step in and take over if obligatory.
“This initiative provides us the chance to know how autonomous supply techniques would possibly help our individuals and processes,” says Pascal Stalder, Undertaking Lead at Swiss Put up. “We’re particularly within the potential to scale back strolling distances and heavy lifting – whereas persevering with to ship the service high quality our prospects anticipate.”
And actually, this isn’t the primary discipline take a look at of RIVR ONE.
Earlier this yr, the robots have been used to ship meals orders from eating places in Zurich (see the video beneath), and to ship parcels in Austin, Texas.
Simply Eat Takeaway.com Companions with RIVR
Supply: RIVR