We live in an age where robots are commonplace. They are used in factories, for sorting packages, and, in towns across Cambridgeshire, food delivery. They can be found riding the pavements of Cambourne and Cambridge, delivering shopping from nearby Co-op shops.

Developed by Starship Technology, and deployed in towns and cities around the world, these adorable white robots will deliver to you whether you are on a college campus, in your house, or in a park within three miles of the nearest vendor. Fully autonomous, they steer themselves around at speeds of 4-6km/h, about walking speed, even in snow and ice. While the design of these little guys looks harmless enough, if they are tampered with in anyway, (including being picked up) they have sirens, 12 cameras and the ability to record audio, as well as having super accurate GPS tracking.

But don’t worry, these robots have been a big hit and over 6 million deliveries around the world have been made. These include parcels, groceries, food, laundry, medication, and flowers. They are also quite tuneful, as when they arrive, they play a song! These robots are helping the environment by being able to make the shorter journeys, causing reduced CO2 emissions, lowering traffic levels, and increasing business. It’s also an on-time delivery service and helps with impulse shopping. 

However helpful these robots can be, they aren’t for everywhere. My nearest shop is a mile away and while that might not seem that far, the road is busy and narrow. When I am baking, and run out of ingredients, an automated delivery service would be extremely helpful. Unfortunately, the area I live in is too small to host such a system. I can only see this being implemented if the village grows or it becomes so commonplace that the price of the service goes down considerably. Perhaps, one day, they could even deliver the post!