Ottonomy Inc. has partnered with Sodexo to bring its delivery robots to a campus in Spain. The European University in Villaviciosa de Odón will be the first educational center in Spain to have access to these food-delivery robots.
The Santa Monica, Calif.-based company‘s Ottobots will deliver food and drinks to students at various points on campus in an average of 15 minutes. These locations are all in outdoor recreational areas.
“Sodexo has been a great partner to bring fully autonomous delivery robots to the campuses,” said Ritukar Vijay, CEO of Ottonomy, in a release. “Our efforts are always geared towards enhancing the end customer’s experience.”
“Multiple unique deliveries and being fully autonomous helps us to bring huge operational efficiencies and manage labor shortages,” he stated. “This enables us to continue grow with our partners and customers globally.”
Ottonomy said it designed its Ottobots to efficiently and safely deliver food. The robots are capable of fully autonomous operations and can carry up to two deliveries at once. The companies hope the service will provide a more comfortable and modern experience for students, facilitating day-to-day life on campus.
Carina Cabezas, general director of Sodexo in Spain, said the initiative represents “a technological innovation in the world of catering in university environments that marks a milestone in the continuous improvement of the services offered to clients and consumers.” He added that he hopes “that this model will contribute to continuing to improve the accessibility of restaurant services to users.”
How will the delivery service work?
The delivery service will be available from Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Students can place their order through a specific Sodexo app or by scanning the QR codes enabled in the cafeterias, in the robots themselves, or at the outdoor collection points.
After placing the order, customers will receive an SMS with the estimated delivery time and can see the real-time location of the robots and their orders. Delivery times are estimated to be around 15 minutes, although this interval depends on factors such as distance, the products ordered, and the order volume, Ottonomy noted.
To pick up their orders, students must enter a code on the robot’s top screen that will be sent to their mobile phone along with the order-confirmation message.
Ottonomy programmed the Ottobots to cover the distance from the cafeteria to the delivery points and back. They can transport hot and cold products, said the company.
Sergio Calvo, director of communications at European University, said the arrival of this service “facilitates access to services for students and employees and is another example of the institution’s commitment to innovation and new technologies.”
Ottobots roll out with partners
Ottonomy has worked with Goggo Network for other deliveries in Spain and with an airport in Rome.
Earlier this month, Ottonomy partnered with Harbor Lockers, an on-demand public marketplace locker network platform. The companies will collaborate on Ottonomy’s customized locker-on-robot called the Ottobot Locker.
Ottobot Locker will run on Harbor Lockers’ app ecosystem. The partners said it will add a new dimension to fixed smart lockers.
