AI is a big issue at the moment, with advances in technology, making many new things possible, autonomous vehicles, drones, and much more. AI robots are now able to deliver shopping to your door, navigating their way from the store to your home entirely alone. These six-wheeled devices have a storage box and are able to carry up to 3 bags of shopping from any supermarket that takes part in the scheme to the home of the customer.
Futuristic Technology
As NDIS providers on the Gold Coast, we love watching advancements that make life easier, and there is no doubt for some people, home delivery is a lifeline because getting out to the shops would be too difficult. However, there are concerns that these robots could cause danger because they move only on pavements, which of course, is where pedestrians are. We already know that street furniture, E scooters and abandoned bicycles can cause a navigational hazard for people with physical disabilities as well as those who are blind.
Training Given
Starship Technologies are the company behind these futuristic robots, and spokesperson Lisa Johnson, the head of public affairs, has spoken on a BBC podcast to try and reassure the general public that disability awareness is of great concern to the company. She says the programming of the robots is designed to stay out of the way of people. They are thought to be cautious and use extensive camera and sensor technology to avoid obstacles.
Scenario Training
The company train their robots using various scenarios, including the meeting of a robot and a wheelchair user on a path not wide enough for both. This is partly in response to a real-life case in 2019 when a robot was blocking the path of a student at the University of Pittsburgh. The company acknowledge that it must be on the ball when it comes to ensuring its robots navigate safely around the pavements and streets. The six-wheeled devices are capable of climbing up and down payments which helps them to get out of the way.
Device Awareness
The robots are also taught what different ability devices might look like, and programming dictates that should they come across such an obstacle. They must get out of the way. All robots are monitored from central control, and human backup is on hand should there be any issue that the shopping bot cannot navigate on its own. Johnston also spoke of their commitment to ensuring that canes used by visually impaired people are spotted and admits that there are challenges because they are very thin and could easily be missed. If a robot detects the presence of a cane, it will speak, saying, “Hi, I am a Starship robot; I’m just letting you know that I am here.” Steve Tyler is a blind user who has a seat on the Starship Technology Disability Advisory panel because he wants to ensure that everything works well for both accessibility and care of other users, including those with disabilities.