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Fox News
26-05-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Delivery robot autonomously lifts, transports heavy cargo
Print Close By Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report Published May 26, 2025 Autonomous delivery robots are already starting to change the way goods move around cities and warehouses, but most still need humans to load and unload their cargo. That's where LEVA comes in. Developed by engineers and designers from ETH Zurich and other Swiss universities, LEVA is a robot that can not only navigate tricky environments but also lift and carry heavy boxes all on its own, making deliveries smoother and more efficient. Join the FREE "CyberGuy Report" : Get my expert tech tips, critical security alerts and exclusive deals, plus instant access to my free "Ultimate Scam Survival Guide" when you sign up! What makes LEVA different? Most delivery robots either roll on wheels or walk on legs, but LEVA combines both. It has four legs, and each leg ends with a motorized, steerable wheel. This means on smooth surfaces like sidewalks, LEVA can roll quickly and efficiently, almost like a little car. When it encounters stairs, curbs or rough ground, it locks its wheels and walks or climbs like a four-legged animal. This unique design lets LEVA handle both flat urban streets and uneven terrain with ease. RICE-SIZED ROBOT COULD MAKE BRAIN SURGERY SAFER AND LESS INVASIVE How LEVA sees and moves around LEVA uses a mix of GPS, lidar sensors and five cameras placed around its body to understand its surroundings. These tools help it navigate city streets or indoor hallways while avoiding obstacles. One camera even looks downward to help LEVA line itself up perfectly when it's time to pick up or drop off cargo. DRIVERLESS BIG-RIG ROBOTRUCKS ARE NOW ON THE ROAD IN THIS STATE The big deal: Loading and unloading itself What really sets LEVA apart is its ability to load and unload cargo boxes without any human help. It spots a standard cargo box, moves right over it, lowers itself by bending its legs and then locks onto the box using powered hooks underneath its body. After securing the box, LEVA lifts itself back up and carries the load to its destination. It can handle boxes weighing up to 187 pounds, which is pretty impressive for a robot of its size. CHINESE HUMANOID ROBOT WITH EAGLE EYE VISION AND POWERFUL AI LEVA's specs LEVA is about 4 feet long and 2.5 feet wide, with an adjustable height between 2 and 3 feet. It weighs around 187 pounds and can carry the same amount of cargo. Thanks to its wheels and legs, it can move smoothly on flat surfaces, climb stairs and handle rough terrain. Its sensors and cameras give it a sharp sense of where it is and what's around it. HOW TO REMOVE YOUR PERSONAL INFO FROM PEOPLE-SEARCH SITES Where could you see LEVA in action? LEVA's flexibility makes it useful in many places. It could deliver packages right to your doorstep, even if you live in a building with stairs. Farmers might use it to move supplies across fields. On construction sites, it could carry tools and materials over uneven ground. It might even assist in emergency situations by bringing supplies through rubble or rough terrain. What does this mean for you? For folks like us, LEVA could mean faster, more reliable deliveries, especially in tricky urban areas where stairs and curbs often slow things down. For businesses, it means cutting down on the need for manual labor to load and unload heavy items, which can reduce injuries and lower costs. It also means deliveries and material handling could happen around the clock without breaks, boosting efficiency. In industries like farming, construction and emergency response, LEVA's ability to get through tough terrain while carrying heavy loads could make a big difference in how quickly and safely supplies get where they need to go. HOW SECURE IS MY PASSWORD? USE THIS TEST TO FIND OUT What's next for LEVA? The first LEVA prototype has shown it can do a lot, but there's still work to be done. The team is improving its energy use, making it better at climbing stairs, and enhancing its ability to operate fully on its own. The goal is to have LEVA become a reliable part of automated delivery systems that work smoothly in real-world settings. SUBSCRIBE TO KURT'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR QUICK VIDEO TIPS ON HOW TO WORK ALL OF YOUR TECH DEVICES Kurt's key takeaways LEVA blends the best of wheels and legs with the unique ability to load and unload itself. This makes it a promising tool for industries that need robots to be flexible, strong and smart. As LEVA continues to develop, it could change the way deliveries and material transport happen, making them faster, safer and more efficient for everyone. How much would you trust a robot to handle your valuable or fragile shipments without human supervision? Let us know by writing us at For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to . Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you'd like us to cover . Follow Kurt on his social channels: Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions: New from Kurt: Copyright 2025 All rights reserved. Print Close URL
Business Mayor
06-05-2025
- Automotive
- Business Mayor
From Switzerland, a Wheeled Dog-Like Robot for Carrying Cargo
Swiss Mile was a spin-off from ETH Zurich's Robotic Systems Lab, and they developed an agile four-legged/wheeled robot we've been watching since 2021. Now Swiss Mile has morphed into RIVR, a properly commercial company that has adapted their robot design for cargo transport. Their LEVA 'bot is designed specifically to carry a standard Euro-type cargo box. While the wheels allow it to travel quickly on flat surfaces, it can also navigate stairs. Because its wheels can rotate in any direction, the LEVA can pick up or deposit the boxes sideways or front-ways. RIVR reckons their legs + wheels arrangement will give them a competitive advantage: 'Although the use of robotics is widespread in logistics, few solutions offer the capability to efficiently transport payloads both in controlled and unstructured environments. Four-legged robots are ideal for navigating any environment a human can, yet few have the features to autonomously move payloads. 'This is where LEVA shines. By combining both wheels (a means of locomotion ideally suited for fast and precise motion on flat surfaces) and legs (which are perfect for traversing any terrain that humans can), LEVA strikes a balance that makes it highly versatile. Furthermore, LEVA has an integrated ability to autonomously move payload containers.' The thing I most like about the 'bot are its big, fat, easily-accessible, bright red 'off' buttons. The company plans to formally unveil the LEVA prototype on May 28th.
