Amazon Plans to Test Four-Legged Robots on Wheels for Deliveries (cnbc.com)
(Sunday March 22, 2026 @12:34PM (EditorDavid)
from the far-fetched dept.)
- Reference: 0181065858
- News link: https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/26/03/21/0548213/amazon-plans-to-test-four-legged-robots-on-wheels-for-deliveries
- Source link: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/19/amazon-acquires-startup-rivr-to-test-robots-for-doorstep-delivery.html
[1]CNBC reports :
> Amazon has acquired Rivr, a Swiss robotics company developing machines for "doorstep delivery," the company confirmed Thursday... It announced the deal in a notice sent to third-party delivery contractors... "We believe this technology, when working alongside your [delivery associates], has the potential to further improve safety outcomes and the overall customer experience, particularly in the last steps of the delivery process...." In its notice to delivery service partner owners, Amazon said Rivr's technology, which includes a four-legged robot on wheels, will allow it to research and test how the devices can be integrated into delivery operations, including "helping [delivery associates] carry packages from delivery vehicles to customer doorsteps."
[1] https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/19/amazon-acquires-startup-rivr-to-test-robots-for-doorstep-delivery.html
> Amazon has acquired Rivr, a Swiss robotics company developing machines for "doorstep delivery," the company confirmed Thursday... It announced the deal in a notice sent to third-party delivery contractors... "We believe this technology, when working alongside your [delivery associates], has the potential to further improve safety outcomes and the overall customer experience, particularly in the last steps of the delivery process...." In its notice to delivery service partner owners, Amazon said Rivr's technology, which includes a four-legged robot on wheels, will allow it to research and test how the devices can be integrated into delivery operations, including "helping [delivery associates] carry packages from delivery vehicles to customer doorsteps."
[1] https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/19/amazon-acquires-startup-rivr-to-test-robots-for-doorstep-delivery.html
third-party delivery aka the DSP takes on all the (Score:3)
by Joe_Dragon ( 2206452 )
third-party delivery aka the DSP takes on all the risks and costs of this?
But they have no real control??
I cannot help but think of Daleks (Score:2)
by Alain Williams ( 2972 )
And this [1]cartoon [media-amazon.com].
[1] https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61PT7VxgKvL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg
a four-legged robot on wheels (Score:2)
Say what?
Anyone got a picture?
Re: a four-legged robot on wheels (Score:4, Interesting)
[1]https://www.rivr.ai/ [www.rivr.ai] features it on homepage
[1] https://www.rivr.ai/
Re: (Score:2)
I like the way it squats, and poops-out the package.
Say no more. (Score:2)
> a four-legged robot on wheels
> Anyone got a picture?
Right here: [1]https://tii.imgix.net/producti... [imgix.net]
It's basically Boston Dynamics' "Spot" robot (a so-called "robot dog" platform) with wheels in place of "paws".
[1] https://tii.imgix.net/production/articles/16787/ddd4d55b-698f-4c06-abcb-646e68c73ff1.png
Re: (Score:2)
> It's basically Boston Dynamics' "Spot" robot (a so-called "robot dog" platform) with wheels in place of "paws".
And from the image showing the package just being dropped out the back, it's perpetuating the account I recall from many years ago about MIT shipping a recording accelerometer to CalTech via, IIRC, UPS, with it recording periods of weightlessness punctuated by accelerations of up to 30G.