Robots are Helping to Deliver Christmas Packages
Can a robot help speed up holiday deliveries? The city of Helsinki is finding out. A trial in Finland’s capital is using a delivery robot in two neighborhoods to see if this innovative, autonomous, and emission-free method could help with the holiday crunch.
The HeRo robot that is being tested, is a project of Forum Virium, an innovative Finnish company, according to Euro Weekly News. The trial will be running through the end of December 2023. The goal is to showcase how packages can be quickly delivered to people’s homes with great accuracy even during the holiday season.
HeRo provides eco-friendly delivery
HeRo – an acronym for Helsinki Robot – is not just any delivery robot, it’s electric and operates without any dangerous emissions, plus it is self-navigating and talks. The delivery robot was manufactured by the French robotics firm TwinswHeel and uses an interface created by the Finnish company LMAD, reported New Atlas.
The four-wheeled vehicle can carry up to 300 kilograms (661 pounds) and can travel up to 20 kilometers (12 miles) on just one charge of its lithium battery pack. HeRo uses a combination of GPS and onboard sensors to navigate the city’s streets.
The HeRo can deliver multiple orders in each run. Every order will be in an individual locker and customers will be able to open their own locker electronically. The robot is delivering packages from a small number of retailers – in just one hour – to residents of the Ruoholahti and North Jätkäsaari areas. No other package delivery service is faster or greener,
The first trial
This is not the robots first time on the streets of Helsinki. The first phase trial was held from May through August 2023 and carried packages from Würth Center – a service provider that offers tools and supplies for industry – to nearby worksites, according to Forum Virium’s website.
The trial showed that the HeRo could make urgent deliveries without disturbing the workflow of the industries. “We are continuously developing our operations and we are interested in trying new ways of serving our customers in the future,” said Terhi Vesala, the logistics manager from Würth.
The trials are part of the international URBANE project, which is looking for new innovative and environmentally friendly ways to improve logistics for both companies and residents. New trials will be carried out in cities in Spain and Greece. Zero emission delivery via autonomous robots is an idea that should be implemented around the globe.
