INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Refraction, a new autonomous delivery robot company that came out of stealth Wednesday at TC Sessions: Mobility, sees opportunity in areas
most AV startups are avoiding: regions with the worst weather.The company, founded by University of Michigan professors Matthew
Johnson-Roberson got his start by participating in the DARPA Grand Challenge in 2004 and stayed in academia researching and then teaching
told TechCrunch.The robot, which debuted onstage at the California Theater in San Jose during the event, is about the size of an electric
The REV-1 weighs about 100 pounds and stands about 5 feet tall and is 4.5 feet long
That slower speed and lightweight design allows the vehicle to have a short stopping distance of about five feet.Refraction has backing from
eLab Ventures and Trucks Venture Capital.Consumers have an appetite and an expectation for on-demand goods that are delivered quickly
But companies are struggling to find consistent, reliable and economical ways to address that need, said Bob Stefanski, managing director of
application is with local restaurant partners
The company hopes to lock in bigger national partnerships in the next six months
