LDE Minor
Students of the LDE (Leiden Delft Erasmus) minor have been researching the delivery robot Rosie that DAM has put into operation on the Erasmus Campus. They took Rosie as an example case study, but the learning questions to be answered concern delivery robots in other locations as well.
The predetermined learning questions were drawn up jointly with the Municipality of Rotterdam and the MRDH. Based on various learning questions, this research was drawn up. This research was conducted specifically on the relevant learning questions regarding the behavior and acceptance of people on a delivery robot on the Erasmus University campus and beyond.
Learning questions:
● To what extent can delivery robots be accepted by Dutch residents?
● How can delivery robots be implemented in the Netherlands?
The sub-questions below answer those learning questions:
● How do social demographic characteristics influence how delivery robots are accepted?
● Does familiarity with delivery robot technology affect people's level of acceptance?
● What are the most promising areas for deploying delivery robots?
● How do delivery price and delivery distance influence the decision to use delivery robots?
The method by which these sub-questions were examined was by survey and desk research. For example, citizens were approached to give their opinions in terms of user acceptance, with a total of more than 200 respondents.
What emerged from this is that price and distance are important factors in the use and success of delivery robots. When price increases, demand will decrease, but when distance increases, demand actually increases. The accepted price depends on the distance the delivery robot had to travel.
The acceptance of delivery robots among citizens can be improved by showing them the robot in operation in real life. It is also recommended that more different locations be analyzed and examined in practice, such as industrial estates and buildings with elevators. An important piece of advice is not to travel too short distances in outlying areas with the delivery robot so that people see the benefit of it.
More research will need to be done on why certain socio-demographic target groups do or do not accept delivery robots. The current population has not been diverse enough, due to a high percentage of students. As a result, no direct generalization can be made to all citizens of the Netherlands regarding acceptance.