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Robot transporters now delivering food to FGCU students on campus

WGCU | By Dayna Harpster
Published June 28, 2025 at 6:05 AM EDT
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
Andrea Melendez/WGCU
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.

What’s the size of the average cooler, is fully electric and rolls unattended around the FGCU campus? Dining robots.

In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ Bob Mumper explains.

"So they order the GrubHub app, and they can order it to any location within the app on the campus, we deliver the food to them. They use their phone app, the GrubHub app, to open the robot. When it gets there, it's all safely, securely locked away. And when it gets there, they use the app to open the robot and get their food in a hopefully timely manner."

FGCU's new dining robots will deliver food anywhere on campus

Representatives of student government attended a recent demonstration. Gianna Ihuoma is student body president.

"I think it's a really great convenience factor. I can definitely see myself using it often, especially when I'm studying in the library or, you know, hanging out somewhere on campus, and I don't want to go all the way to the student union or wherever else to order food, I can just have it come to me, which I think is really great."

Food can be ordered from several on-campus restaurants and takes about the same delivery time as any GrubHuh order might. The robots travel at an average walking speed of about 4 miles per hour. Besides effortless food delivery, there’s another perk for students who use the robots during the next year – delivery is free through an arrangement with student government.

In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
1 of 15  — WGCUFGCUDiningRobots062725AM
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
Andrea Melendez/WGCU
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
2 of 15  — WGCUFGCUDiningRobots062725AM
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
Andrea Melendez/WGCU
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
3 of 15  — WGCUFGCUDiningRobots062725AM
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
Andrea Melendez/WGCU
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
4 of 15  — WGCUFGCUDiningRobots062725AM
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
Andrea Melendez/WGCU
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
5 of 15  — WGCUFGCUDiningRobots062725AM
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
Andrea Melendez/WGCU
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
6 of 15  — WGCUFGCUDiningRobots062725AM
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
Andrea Melendez/WGCU
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
7 of 15  — WGCUFGCUDiningRobots062725AM
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
Andrea Melendez/WGCU
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
8 of 15  — WGCUFGCUDiningRobots062725AM
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
Andrea Melendez/WGCU
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
9 of 15  — WGCUFGCUDiningRobots062725AM
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
Andrea Melendez/WGCU
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
10 of 15  — WGCUFGCUDiningRobots062725AM
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
Andrea Melendez/WGCU
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
11 of 15  — WGCUFGCUDiningRobots062725AM
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
Andrea Melendez/WGCU
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
12 of 15  — WGCUFGCUDiningRobots062725AM
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
Andrea Melendez/WGCU
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
13 of 15  — WGCUFGCUDiningRobots062725AM
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
Andrea Melendez/WGCU
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
14 of 15  — WGCUFGCUDiningRobots062725AM
In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
Andrea Melendez/WGCU
Gianna Ihuoma, FGCU student body president, talked about how easy it was to order her food and how it was delivered right to her. In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
15 of 15  — WGCUFGCUDiningRobots062725AM
Gianna Ihuoma, FGCU student body president, talked about how easy it was to order her food and how it was delivered right to her. In an initiative started by the student government last year, FGCU has unveiled a fleet of dining robots that deliver food on campus, navigating sidewalks and even crossing streets to get to their destinations. It’s all done through the Grubhub app. Starship Technologies’ is the developer of the robots.
Andrea Melendez/WGCU

Eventually, there will be 30 robots on campus delivering food from more than a dozen locations. Ten robots deliver from three locations currently for the summer sessions.

They work by autonomous navigation, using GPS, 12 cameras, ultrasonic sensor, radar and AI to travel sidewalks and cross streets. They can go up to four miles on a single battery charge. If the robot gets stuck or encounters an unusual situation, remote operators can assist.

Robots are used already at several universities in the United States as well as sites in the U.K., Estonia, Finland and Germany.

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Science/Tech WGCU NewsFGCULocal Food
Dayna Harpster
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