‘Snackbot’ Delivers On-Campus Munchies

The Washington Post: Students at University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif., can “order snacks and beverages for the first time from a bright-colored roving robot on wheels known as the Snackbot. Its stout body perched atop six small wheels, the electric Snackbot resembles some combination of an Igloo cooler and a Volkswagen Microbus … The electric vehicle includes a camera and headlights and can travel 20 miles on a single charge, even up hills and in the rain, according to PepsiCo, which partnered with robot-making startup Robby Technologies to launch the campus delivery program.”

“Scott Finlow — vice president for innovation and insights at PepsiCo Foodservice — said the autonomous delivery vehicle taps into two trends among college students: a growing desire for healthier food and a desire for ‘on-the-go sustenance,’ the result of students becoming less inclined to eat three fixed meals each day.”

“Instead of interrupting classes, the Snackbot will follow a less invasive delivery model, Finlow said, noting the ‘rolling vending machine’ doesn’t charge a delivery fee. After downloading the Snackbot app and placing an order, students can select from 50 designated delivery locations across the 175-acre campus … Finlow said the machine will sell the same items that are found inside PepsiCo’s Hello Goodness vending machines, including: Smartfood Delight, Baked Lay’s, SunChips, Pure Leaf Tea, Bubly, LIFEWTR and Starbucks Cold Brew.”