We've covered robot dogs patrolling with police and training to handle terrain that could someday take them to the moon.
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that → cover → moon
We've even watched wheeled versions tackle some pretty wild ground.
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versions → watch → ground
And whenever we show these machines, one question keeps coming up: What happens when they reach a flight of stairs?
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they → show → stairs
Well, Robot.com may have an answer.
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Robot.com → have → answer
Its new four-legged R-dog is built to carry packages where traditional wheeled delivery robots can get stuck.
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robots → build → packages
It can also show ads along the way, turning your future delivery into something of a moving billboard.
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It → show → billboard
So, can R-dog really get your package closer to your front door while making the economics of robot delivery work?
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economics → get → delivery
Let's take a closer look.
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's → let → look
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you → watch → checklist
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Knutsson → walk → scams
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You → learn → transfers
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experience → need → ?
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What is the R-dog robot dog?
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dog → get → CyberGuyLive.com
The San Francisco-based company unveiled it on Aug. 11.
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company → base → Aug.
The idea tackles one of the most frustrating parts of robotic delivery: the final stretch to your door.
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idea → tackle → door
A wheeled robot may handle the sidewalk just fine, only to meet a curb or staircase it cannot cross.
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it → handle → curb
Robot.com designed R-dog to cover those final 330 feet with a mix of wheels and articulated legs.
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Robot.com → design → wheels
Each leg ends in a wheel, so R-dog can roll efficiently across flatter ground.
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dog → end → ground
When the route gets more difficult, those flexible legs are designed to help it deal with stairs, curbs and other obstacles.
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it → get → stairs
The cargo compartment forms most of the robot's body.
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compartment → form → body
Robot.com says it can carry food orders and standard packages inside.
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it → say → orders
And yes, it definitely looks like a robot dog.
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it → look → dog
There is even a tail, which gives the machine a friendlier appearance than your average delivery box on wheels.
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which → be → wheels
Robot.com wants people to notice R-dog, interact with it and feel comfortable when it appears in public spaces.
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it → want → spaces
As you will see, that becomes especially important once advertising enters the picture.
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advertising → see → picture
Why stairs are such a headache for delivery robots
Getting a delivery robot across town can actually be easier than getting it from the sidewalk to your front door.
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Getting → get → door
Traditional delivery robots tend to perform best on predictable surfaces.
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robots → tend → surfaces
Smooth sidewalks work well because wheels are efficient and relatively simple.
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wheels → work → ?
Then the terrain changes.
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terrain → change → ?
A staircase can end the trip.
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staircase → end → trip
A high curb can cause trouble.
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curb → cause → trouble
Even an awkward building entrance may force someone to step in.
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entrance → force → someone
That creates an obvious weak point in a system that is supposed to reduce human involvement.
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that → create → involvement
Robot.com wants R-dog to keep going when a standard sidewalk robot would have to stop.
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robot → want → ?
Its four-legged design could also expand the places where autonomous delivery makes sense.
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delivery → expand → sense
Campuses, apartment complexes and neighborhoods can all include routes that become difficult for wheels alone.
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that → include → wheels
Of course, getting over the obstacle is only useful if the package also reaches the right person.
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package → get → person
That brings us to R-dog's unusual delivery system.
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That → bring → system
How R-dog drops off your package
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dog → drop → package
The cargo compartment can hold multiple items, including stacked food orders and e-commerce packages.
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compartment → hold → orders
…and 77 more, not listed.
The Aporia
