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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 Orioles beat the Astros, 12-0. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.

Jordan Westburg hit a three-run homer among four hits with a career-best five RBIs and Dean Kremer pitched seven sharp innings to give the Baltimore Orioles a 12-0 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.

Kremer (9-9) allowed just three singles and struck out seven. Grant Wolfram and Corbin Martin finished the six-hitter.

The Astros were shut out for the second time this series after Brandon Young came within four outs of a perfect game in Baltimore’s 7-0 win Friday night.

Westburg hit an opposite-field shot to right-center off Shawn Dubin in the fifth to make it 5-0. He added RBI singles in the seventh and eighth. His four hits matched a career high.

Houston starter Cristian Javier (1-1) left with an illness after allowing one run in three innings. The Astros used five relievers before outfielder Chas McCormick threw a scoreless ninth in his second pitching appearance this week.

The bases were loaded in the third when Jesús Sánchez robbed Gunnar Henderson of a grand slam with a leaping catch into the seats in right field. Jeremiah Jackson scored on the sacrifice fly to make it 1-0.

Sánchez robbed another homer in the seventh with two on when he reached into the seats to snag a fly ball hit by Samuel Basallo, who was making his major league debut. Basallo, the Orioles’ top prospect, drove in two runs with a single in Baltimore’s five-run eighth.

Key moment

There was a brief delay in the top of the eighth when a fan jumped onto the field and ran around before being tackled by security, handcuffed and escorted off the field.

Key stat

Dubin has allowed 11 hits and 11 runs over 2 2/3 innings in his last three appearances.

Up next

Orioles LHP Trevor Rogers (5-2, 1.43 ERA) opposes Red Sox RHP Dustin May (7-8, 4.67) Monday night in the opener of a two-game series at Boston.

Houston RHP Spencer Arrighetti (1-3, 6.38) faces Detroit RHP Jack Flaherty (6-12, 4.76) as the Astros visit the Tigers Monday night.

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