Shopping robot spotted on Lordship Lane

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Milan05 Wrote:

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> I think your smartphone can 'unlock' the robot

> when it gets to your door..

Does the robot wait next door if no-one is in?

[Milan05]

I don't know if they've thought that one through.. be lovely and weird if it did!

[nxjen]

Or take itself off to the nearest collection point!

[Jules-and-Boo]

I am the equivalent in my family. But I unpack as well :-)

[Milan05]

I bumped into one today and asked the handler what was going on - he said soon they will be trialling deliveries with Just Eat in the Borough Market and Lewisham areas. He was helping it to inch out across the road and showed me how it was learning to peep around parked cars.

[dbboy]

Saw one on Forest Hill Road going into Brenchley Gardens with its handler last week, they're getting closer day by day.

[mik322]

I spotted 2 on New Kent Road within 100 yards of each other a few weeks ago. I was intrigued as to what they were but after reading about the initiative, I'm baffled. Is it just me or is this ridiculous?

If they were used for something like delivering medicines to elderly patients that are housebound I could understand, but surely if people want their shopping delivered they could just use a supermarket delivery service. Or the robot's handler could just deliver it themselves and add a personal touch.

I'm all for new technology and its application but surely there's a more practical benefit to this than a shopping drone.

[Sue]

dbboy Wrote:

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> Saw one on Forest Hill Road going into Brenchley

> Gardens with its handler last week, they're

> getting closer day by day.

One on North Cross Road earlier this week :)

[DulwichFox]

One on Ulverscroft yesterday with two 'keepers' ? whatever they are called,

who stopped and chatted with bemused onlookers.

Foxy.

[mikeb]

Is this just a form of advertising? maybe I'm being cynical, but I just don't see them surviving accidents / malice.

[Jeremy]

mik322 Wrote:

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> If they were used for something like delivering

> medicines to elderly patients that are housebound

> I could understand, but surely if people want

> their shopping delivered they could just use a

> supermarket delivery service.

I got the impression they were more for smaller shops, or individual items that were required a bit more urgently than the big weekly delivery (which has to be booked a little way in advance).

But I agree with mikeb, they're just going to be targets for vandalism. Perhaps they might fare better in Japan or Korea...

[dmcd808]

Demolition man springs to mind - great film

[singalto]

I saw it crossing Whateley road this morning,followed by its human minder. What is the point of the thing?