Concept: Singaporean robotics technologies startup, Otsaw Digital (Otsaw), has developed an autonomous last-mile delivery robot named Camello that can deliver on-demand parcels and groceries to customer’s homes in Singapore. Otsaw aims to deliver medicines and groceries where there is a labor shortage or if the location is not easily and economically accessible by humans.
Nature of Disruption: Customers who want their goods to be delivered to their homes can very easily book a delivery slot for grocery items like milk and eggs. At the time of delivery, the app notifies the users that the robot has arrived near their home so that they can go to the pick-up point and collect their goods. Camello is equipped with 3D sensors, a camera, and two compartments each capable of carrying up to 20kg (44 lb) of food or parcels ordered online. These robots are capable of making four or five deliveries per day on weekdays and are on call for half a day on Saturdays. They use ultraviolet light to disinfect themselves after every trip, which makes this an ideal solution during the pandemic when customers prefer contactless and humanless deliveries. For the time being, Otsaw’s staff members accompany these robots to ensure no problems arise during deliveries.
Outlook: Autonomous delivery robots can play an important role in augmenting the existing delivery infrastructure to enhance consumer experience and drive productivity gains. With the growth of e-commerce when customers are increasingly growing accustomed to getting their products delivered at home, the launch of Camello can be beneficial to people especially during the global pandemic. This service could be particularly helpful for the elderly so they wouldn’t have to carry goods home.
This article was originally published in Verdict.co.uk