Japan is set to take a leap in bringing robotics to mainstream public life as automated delivery robots are set to hit Japanese roads&nbsp;by April. The country has also revised the road traffic law to pave the way for delivery robots to take the roads just like humans and their means of transport.&nbsp;The country has already conducted the trials for delivery of food and daily necessities by robots. These trials were conducted in a phased manner in both residential and business districts of the country.&nbsp;

According to the Japanese industry ministry, tests of automated delivery robots have been held in five of the country's 47 prefectures.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-are-the-challenges-automakers-are-facing-with-humanoid-robots-518706">What are the challenges automakers are facing with humanoid robots?</a>

"In regions with declining populations, robots can be a way to resolve the lack of workers in the logistics industry in the future," a ministry official was quoted as saying by Japan Times.&nbsp;

<h2>Japanese leap forward with robots: How do they work?</h2>

According to reports in the Japanese media, the robot was found to be moving at a speed close to the pace of an adult's brisk walk on a major street. It carried a hamburger from a store to an office located about 500 metres away, Japan Times reported.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-why-japan-is-obsessed-with-robots-481941">Gravitas: Why Japan is obsessed with robots</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-why-japan-is-obsessed-with-robots-481941/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The electric robots will be remotely operated. They are equipped with map data on local pedestrian paths. It has six cameras with which it can detect and subsequently avoid pedestrians and roadside obstacles. It can identify the colours of traffic lights. The robot can move its liquid crystal display "eyes". It is also capable of giving audio warnings such as "turning right/left".

<h2>Japanese delivery robots: Challenges and the road ahead</h2>

According to Hisashi Taniguchi, president of Tokyo-based robotics firm ZMP, there are challenges to overcome, including safety concerns in the immediate weeks before the larger rollout.

"They are still newcomers in human society, so it's natural they're seen with a bit of discomfort," he told AFP.

Taniguchi said it's important the robots "are humble and lovable" to inspire confidence.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1  width=&quot;100%&quot;"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Japan is set to take a leap in bringing robotics to mainstream public life as automated delivery robots are set to hit Japanese roads by April. The country has also revised the road traffic law to pave the way for delivery robots to take the roads just like humans and their means of transport.

Japan is set to take a leap in bringing robotics to mainstream public life as automated delivery robots are set to hit Japanese roads by April. The country has also revised the road traffic law to pave the way for delivery robots to take the roads just like humans and their means of transport. The country has already conducted the trials for delivery of food and daily necessities by robots. These trials were conducted in a phased manner in both residential and business districts of the country. According to the Japanese industry ministry, tests of automated delivery robots have been held in five of the country's 47 prefectures. ALSO READ | What are the challenges automakers are facing with humanoid robots? "In regions with declining populations, robots can be a way to resolve the lack of workers in the logistics industry in the future," a ministry official was quoted as saying by Japan Times. Japanese leap forward with robots: How do they work? According to reports in the Japanese media, the robot was found to be moving at a speed close to the pace of an adult's brisk walk on a major street. It carried a hamburger from a store to an office located about 500 metres away, Japan Times reported. ALSO WATCH | Gravitas: Why Japan is obsessed with robots × The electric robots will be remotely operated. They are equipped with map data on local pedestrian paths. It has six cameras with which it can detect and subsequently avoid pedestrians and roadside obstacles. It can identify the colours of traffic lights. The robot can move its liquid crystal display "eyes". It is also capable of giving audio warnings such as "turning right/left". Japanese delivery robots: Challenges and the road ahead According to Hisashi Taniguchi, president of Tokyo-based robotics firm ZMP, there are challenges to overcome, including safety concerns in the immediate weeks before the larger rollout. "They are still newcomers in human society, so it's natural they're seen with a bit of discomfort," he told AFP. Taniguchi said it's important the robots "are humble and lovable" to inspire confidence. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Delivery robots to hit the road in April, Japanese government revises traffic law to pave way

It's famous for its roundabouts and statues of concrete cows. But the English town of&nbsp;Milton&nbsp;Keynes&nbsp;now has another claim to fame -- a trundling army of shopping delivery robots.

The six-wheeled automated vehicles, launched three years ago, barely get a second glance as they ply the residential streets, some 80 kilometres (49 miles) north of London.

Numbers have grown to 200 in&nbsp;Milton&nbsp;Keynes&nbsp;and nearby Northampton, which introduced the service in 2020, with plans for as many as 500 to be in action in five more places across the country.

According to the robots' operators, the squat white machines came into their own when Britain locked down last year as coronavirus hit the country.

<img alt="Shopping robots" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="88667d09-ad06-4aac-8692-7962074a7259" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_9NC8ET.jpg" />

Image: Sheila, 71, picks up a delivery from an autonomous robot called Starship delivering groceries from a nearby Co-op supermarket in Milton Keynes, England on September 20, 2021. Source: AFP

"Everyone was so in need of contactless delivery during the pandemic," Andrew Curtis, head of UK operations at Starship Technologies, told AFP.

The US company, which has quadrupled its deliveries in the UK, now makes 1,000 deliveries a day.&nbsp;

"Demand hasn't dropped off," Curtis said, adding that as stay-at-home restrictions were lifted, users became more willing to try the technology.

<img alt="Shopping robots" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="31240cdd-d786-4f82-96bd-856ae9976d04" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_9NC8EN.jpg" />

Image: An autonomous robot called Starship is pictured on its way to deliver groceries from a nearby Co-op supermarket in Milton Keynes, England on September 20, 2021. Source: AFP

The company has signed a new agreement with longstanding partner the Co-op Group's chain of supermarkets, to provide 300 new robots by the end of the year and triple deliveries.

In front of one of the retailer's shops in&nbsp;Milton&nbsp;Keynes, which was the first to use the delivery machines in 2018, a dozen robots are ready and waiting.&nbsp;

With their antenna topped with an orange flag to aid visibility, they look almost like a queue of empty bumper cars.

Starship troopers

An employee emerges from the shop and places the newest order inside one of the robots -- a small bag containing raspberries, yoghurt and a bouquet of flowers.

With its lid locked, the droid immediately dashes out onto the pavement. It turns and moves forward to cross the road before stopping, reversing suddenly to let a car pass.

Fitted with cameras, sensors and a loud alarm if needed, the robots -- first created in 2014 by the two founders of Skype -- are 99 percent autonomous.&nbsp;

But if they become stuck, an operator can take control.

<img alt="Shopping robots" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bbbebbe7-4724-45e5-8f11-4ae42aedd102" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_9NC8FC.jpg" />

Image:&nbsp;An autonomous robot called Starship travels along a pathway under construction on its way to deliver groceries from a nearby Co-op supermarket in Milton Keynes, England on September 20, 2021. Source: AFP

Once launched, the robot navigates the maze of footpaths that wind between&nbsp;Milton&nbsp;Keynes' red brick houses.

When the way is clear, it can reach speeds of up to six kilometres (nearly four miles) per hour -- a little more than a reasonable walking pace.&nbsp;

Deliveries reach customers in less than an hour.

The Co-op said the use of the robots is environmentally friendly as well as convenient, with 70 percent of Starship's customers going without a trip in the car to a store or receiving a delivery from a fuel-powered vehicle.

Under the delivery system, the robots remain the property of Starship and orders are placed via an application they developed.&nbsp;

The company manages 1,000 robots, mainly in Britain and the United States but also in Estonia, Germany and Denmark.

The tech firm is not alone in the delivery robot race.&nbsp;

In the United States, for example, where it operates mainly on university campuses, it is jockeying for position with start-ups and logistics giants such as Amazon and FedEx.

A 'godsend'

As their numbers grow, the wheeled delivery drones have drawn criticism from unions, who fear they will take jobs from people.&nbsp;

The debate has made its way into US town halls, which are tasked with deciding limits on delivery journeys and rules around sharing the pavement.

"Fortunately, we've not had any accidents so far," Curtis said, adding that in the UK Starship has obtained permission from local authorities for each of its operating locations.

The robot carrying raspberries, yoghurt and flowers continues its journey, hesitating as it encounters a gaping hole, the result of ongoing road maintenance.&nbsp;

Roadworkers look non-plussed as they put down planks to bridge the gap.

When the delivery robot finally reaches its destination, Sheila Rose, 71, walks out of her house and unlocks it with her smartphone, to retrieve her groceries and blooms.

"If I can use it, anyone can," she said, leaning on a walking stick.

"Because of my ill health, I have problems getting out to the shops," she said, calling the robots a "godsend".&nbsp;

The delivery drones have become so essential to the septuagenarian that some weeks she uses them everyday. "I've got great-grandchildren. And they love it," she added.

It's famous for its roundabouts and statues of concrete cows. But the English town of Milton Keynes now has another claim to fame -- a trundling army of shopping delivery robots.

It's famous for its roundabouts and statues of concrete cows. But the English town of Milton Keynes now has another claim to fame -- a trundling army of shopping delivery robots. The six-wheeled automated vehicles, launched three years ago, barely get a second glance as they ply the residential streets, some 80 kilometres (49 miles) north of London. Numbers have grown to 200 in Milton Keynes and nearby Northampton, which introduced the service in 2020, with plans for as many as 500 to be in action in five more places across the country. According to the robots' operators, the squat white machines came into their own when Britain locked down last year as coronavirus hit the country. Image: Sheila, 71, picks up a delivery from an autonomous robot called Starship delivering groceries from a nearby Co-op supermarket in Milton Keynes, England on September 20, 2021. Source: AFP "Everyone was so in need of contactless delivery during the pandemic," Andrew Curtis, head of UK operations at Starship Technologies, told AFP. The US company, which has quadrupled its deliveries in the UK, now makes 1,000 deliveries a day. "Demand hasn't dropped off," Curtis said, adding that as stay-at-home restrictions were lifted, users became more willing to try the technology. Image: An autonomous robot called Starship is pictured on its way to deliver groceries from a nearby Co-op supermarket in Milton Keynes, England on September 20, 2021. Source: AFP The company has signed a new agreement with longstanding partner the Co-op Group's chain of supermarkets, to provide 300 new robots by the end of the year and triple deliveries. In front of one of the retailer's shops in Milton Keynes, which was the first to use the delivery machines in 2018, a dozen robots are ready and waiting. With their antenna topped with an orange flag to aid visibility, they look almost like a queue of empty bumper cars. Starship troopers An employee emerges from the shop and places the newest order inside one of the robots -- a small bag containing raspberries, yoghurt and a bouquet of flowers. With its lid locked, the droid immediately dashes out onto the pavement. It turns and moves forward to cross the road before stopping, reversing suddenly to let a car pass. Fitted with cameras, sensors and a loud alarm if needed, the robots -- first created in 2014 by the two founders of Skype -- are 99 percent autonomous. But if they become stuck, an operator can take control. Image: An autonomous robot called Starship travels along a pathway under construction on its way to deliver groceries from a nearby Co-op supermarket in Milton Keynes, England on September 20, 2021. Source: AFP Once launched, the robot navigates the maze of footpaths that wind between Milton Keynes' red brick houses. When the way is clear, it can reach speeds of up to six kilometres (nearly four miles) per hour -- a little more than a reasonable walking pace. Deliveries reach customers in less than an hour. The Co-op said the use of the robots is environmentally friendly as well as convenient, with 70 percent of Starship's customers going without a trip in the car to a store or receiving a delivery from a fuel-powered vehicle. Under the delivery system, the robots remain the property of Starship and orders are placed via an application they developed. The company manages 1,000 robots, mainly in Britain and the United States but also in Estonia, Germany and Denmark. The tech firm is not alone in the delivery robot race. In the United States, for example, where it operates mainly on university campuses, it is jockeying for position with start-ups and logistics giants such as Amazon and FedEx. A 'godsend' As their numbers grow, the wheeled delivery drones have drawn criticism from unions, who fear they will take jobs from people. The debate has made its way into US town halls, which are tasked with deciding limits on delivery journeys and rules around sharing the pavement. "Fortunately, we've not had any accidents so far," Curtis said, adding that in the UK Starship has obtained permission from local authorities for each of its operating locations. The robot carrying raspberries, yoghurt and flowers continues its journey, hesitating as it encounters a gaping hole, the result of ongoing road maintenance. Roadworkers look non-plussed as they put down planks to bridge the gap. When the delivery robot finally reaches its destination, Sheila Rose, 71, walks out of her house and unlocks it with her smartphone, to retrieve her groceries and blooms. "If I can use it, anyone can," she said, leaning on a walking stick. "Because of my ill health, I have problems getting out to the shops," she said, calling the robots a "godsend". The delivery drones have become so essential to the septuagenarian that some weeks she uses them everyday. "I've got great-grandchildren. And they love it," she added.

Delivery robots take the strain out of shopping in UK town

delivery-robots

Delivery Robots, News on Delivery Robots, stories on Delivery Robots, articles on Delivery Robots, Delivery Robots stories at Wion, Delivery Robots news, Delivery Robots latest news