The office coffee run could soon be a thing of the past, judging by Hyundai’s new DAL-e Delivery robot.
The cute robot, which Hyundai says was designed to navigate busy and complex environments such as offices and shopping malls, can carry up to 16 cups of coffee – and, according to the video below, he will deliver them without spilling a drop.
The DAL-E uses four Hyundai Plug & Drive (PnD) modules, which combine an electric motor, steering, braking and suspension system into a single unit. It is capable of moving safely at a speed of approximately 4.2 km/h – a perfectly acceptable walking pace.
But what’s even more impressive is the suite of environmental recognition sensors that allow it to avoid obstacles and create optimal route calculations in real time. According to Hyundai, it can even use an elevator system by “interfacing seamlessly” with door controls.
It is capable of carrying up to 10 kg of goods and also uses in-house developed AI facial identification technology, through its in-built camera, to identify the recipient and deliver the goods.
Apparently, this facial recognition technology is officially certified by the Korea Internet Security Agency thanks to its 99.9% accuracy, eliminating the need to enter passwords to access the bounty that lies in the futuristic cuboid chest cavity of the DAL-e.
But in order to signal its intentions and provide a working status to us humans, Hyundai saw fit to install a high-resolution 11.6-inch screen. And yes, animated facial expressions were added to give him a little more cuteness.
The coffee delivery robot will be put to good use in a soon-to-open smart office building in Seoul, home to local company IGIS Asset Management. Hyundai Motor and Kia signed a commercial agreement with IGIS in May last year to commercialize the robot-friendly building.
The rise of robots
Hyundai Motor and Kia Robotics Lab have a long history in developing and producing automated robots that can be used in factories and beyond.
We took a look at Hyundai’s sci-fi smart factory in Singapore last year and walked among the many autonomous dogs and autonomous delivery platforms that inhabit it – missing of human employees is almost worrying.
Additionally, much of Asia already uses similar, but arguably more basic, autonomous systems in cafes and restaurants, where AI-powered carts carry dirty dishes to the kitchen and even deliver orders directly to the tables.
But it remains unclear whether DAL-e will replace experienced children in offices around the world.