A Proposal for the Development of a Robot-Based Physical Distribution and Transportation Network for Urban Environments

Mary Kathryn Thompson; Andrew G. Brooks

A Proposal for the Development of a Robot-Based Physical Distribution and Transportation Network for Urban Environments

Mary Kathryn Thompson, Andrew G. Brooks

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Article in proceedings › Research

Abstract

The personal automobile ushered in a renaissance in individual freedom of movement. This general-purpose vehicle is capable of fulfilling almost all of the local and regional transportation needs of the average citizen. It can commute the owner to work and leisure, ferry passengers, deliver packages and groceries, and in many cases can even haul other modes of transportation like bicycles, snowmobiles, trailers and boats. However, like any general-purpose system, serious inefficiencies must be tolerated in individual tasks in order to provide such a wide breadth of capabilities. In the computer industry, general purpose processors initially replaced machines engineered for specific tasks, but more recently are being replaced by dedicated, high-performance hardware such as graphics processors. Similarly, the technology associated with transportation, localization and tracking lends itself to the consideration of specialized systems for realizing quantum leaps in efficiency. We therefore propose a novel variant of an automated transportation system: a dedicated network of transportation robots for delivering small-to-medium scale physical objects within the range of commuter
automobiles for use by the general public. This system is intended to reduce the inefficiency, energy waste,
pollution and congestion associated with transporting a large general-purpose vehicle and a human driver in
order to deliver small quantities of physical goods in high density urban areas.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 23rd KKCNN Symposium on Civil Engineering
Number of pages	4
Publication date	2010
Publication status	Published - 2010
Event	23rd KKCNN Symposium on Civil Engineering - National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, Province of China Duration: 13 Nov 2010 → 15 Nov 2010

Conference

Conference	23rd KKCNN Symposium on Civil Engineering
Location	National Taiwan University
Country/Territory	Taiwan, Province of China
City	Taipei
Period	13/11/2010 → 15/11/2010

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This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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title = "A Proposal for the Development of a Robot-Based Physical Distribution and Transportation Network for Urban Environments",

abstract = "The personal automobile ushered in a renaissance in individual freedom of movement. This general-purpose vehicle is capable of fulfilling almost all of the local and regional transportation needs of the average citizen. It can commute the owner to work and leisure, ferry passengers, deliver packages and groceries, and in many cases can even haul other modes of transportation like bicycles, snowmobiles, trailers and boats. However, like any general-purpose system, serious inefficiencies must be tolerated in individual tasks in order to provide such a wide breadth of capabilities. In the computer industry, general purpose processors initially replaced machines engineered for specific tasks, but more recently are being replaced by dedicated, high-performance hardware such as graphics processors. Similarly, the technology associated with transportation, localization and tracking lends itself to the consideration of specialized systems for realizing quantum leaps in efficiency. We therefore propose a novel variant of an automated transportation system: a dedicated network of transportation robots for delivering small-to-medium scale physical objects within the range of commuter automobiles for use by the general public. This system is intended to reduce the inefficiency, energy waste, pollution and congestion associated with transporting a large general-purpose vehicle and a human driver in order to deliver small quantities of physical goods in high density urban areas.",

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AB - The personal automobile ushered in a renaissance in individual freedom of movement. This general-purpose vehicle is capable of fulfilling almost all of the local and regional transportation needs of the average citizen. It can commute the owner to work and leisure, ferry passengers, deliver packages and groceries, and in many cases can even haul other modes of transportation like bicycles, snowmobiles, trailers and boats. However, like any general-purpose system, serious inefficiencies must be tolerated in individual tasks in order to provide such a wide breadth of capabilities. In the computer industry, general purpose processors initially replaced machines engineered for specific tasks, but more recently are being replaced by dedicated, high-performance hardware such as graphics processors. Similarly, the technology associated with transportation, localization and tracking lends itself to the consideration of specialized systems for realizing quantum leaps in efficiency. We therefore propose a novel variant of an automated transportation system: a dedicated network of transportation robots for delivering small-to-medium scale physical objects within the range of commuter automobiles for use by the general public. This system is intended to reduce the inefficiency, energy waste, pollution and congestion associated with transporting a large general-purpose vehicle and a human driver in order to deliver small quantities of physical goods in high density urban areas.

M3 - Article in proceedings

BT - Proceedings of the 23rd KKCNN Symposium on Civil Engineering

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Y2 - 13 November 2010 through 15 November 2010

ER -

A Proposal for the Development of a Robot-Based Physical Distribution and Transportation Network for Urban Environments

Abstract

Conference

UN SDGs

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