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University of Houston rolls out food delivery robots

University of Houston rolls out food delivery robots
UH is the first campus in Texas to roll out robotic food deliveries. Photo courtesy of University of Houston

This article originally appeared on InnovationMap.

For a small delivery fee of $1.99, students, faculty, and staff across the University of Houston campus can now get their lunch delivered by self-driving robots.

Thirty of San Francisco-based Starship Technologies' autonomous delivery robots now roam the campus thanks to a partnership with New York-based Chartwells Higher Education. The Houston campus is the first in Texas to roll out robotic food deliveries.

"This revolutionary delivery method will make it more convenient for the campus community to take advantage of our diverse dining program from anywhere on campus while expanding the hours of operation," says Emily Messa, associate vice president for administration, in a news release. "By opening our campus to this innovative service, which is paid for by the customers, the university didn't have to spend any money purchasing the technology, yet we're enhancing our food delivery capabilities."

Through the Starship Deliveries app, which is available on iOS and Android, users can select from 11 dining institutions and then identify where they are on campus. The platform allows the user to track the progress, and the device can hold up to 20 pounds of food and has the space for about three shopping bags of groceries.

Continue on InnovationMap to find out where the Starship Deliveries app is available.

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The Mets beat the Astros, 3-1. Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images.

Juan Soto hit his first homer with the New York Mets, helping his new team beat the Houston Astros 3-1 on Friday night.

With two out in the third inning, Soto drove a 1-2 pitch from Hunter Brown deep to right for a solo shot that lifted New York to a 3-0 lead.

Soto's 390-foot shot came a day after he struck out on a full-count slider from closer Josh Hader with two on and two out in a 3-1 opening-day loss.

Before that, Soto singled and walked twice Thursday in his Mets debut. The slugger signed a record $765 million, 15-year contract as a free agent in December.

New York starter Tylor Megill (1-0) pitched five-plus innings of one-run ball. He allowed three hits, struck out six and walked one.

Edwin Díaz struck out one in a perfect ninth for his first save, finishing a three-hitter.

Brown (0-1) struck out seven in six innings. He allowed four hits and walked three.

Mark Vientos hit an RBI double for New York in the second and scored on a single by Jesse Winker.

Houston scored its only run in the fourth on Yordan Alvarez's sacrifice fly.

The Astros had a runner on first with one out in the eighth when Luisangel Acuña made a diving stop on Alvarez's grounder to second, popped up and threw to first for the out.

Houston was 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position.

Key moment

The Astros loaded the bases with one out in the sixth, but Reed Garrett struck out Alvarez before retiring Yainer Diaz on a fly ball to right-center.

Key stat

The Mets have won the last seven games started by Megill dating to Aug. 30.

Up next

Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti opposes Griffin Canning when the series wraps up Saturday night. Arrighetti looks to build on a strong rookie season when his 171 strikeouts were the third-most by a rookie in franchise history.

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