What you need to know about Public-area Mobile Robots
Author: Lee St James & Bern Grush
We are delighted to start 2024 with the release of URF's Executive Guide to PMRs. This is Part One of a new series of publications that make up URF's Guides to Public-area mobile robots. To download a PDF copy, simply fill in the contact form here: https://www.urbanroboticsfoundation.org/guidebooks
This guidebook is available for free, as a PDF, to all interested stakeholders. Currently available only in English, we hope to translate future editions as demand increases and when finances allow.
Intentions of the Executive Guide to PMRs
This Executive Guide:
summarizes the definition and current market circumstances for these devices;
outlines the opportunities and challenges of engaging with PMR technology;
briefly outlines the implications of delaying or advancing any decisions to begin testing PMRs;
describes a way for you to access and process a body of deployment standards meant to help confirm and guide your deployment decisions; and
briefly outlines the leadership you will be required to establish when the time comes, while outlining the standards and guidance available to that leadership team when they are ready for their next steps.
About URF
The Urban Robotics Foundation (URF) was created in 2021 as a non-profit organization to bring together stakeholders from around the world who are interested in the opportunities and challenges presented by public-area mobile robots (PMRs) and to help shape the related international standards.
URF’S goal is to build a global network of people focused on learning how PMRs can contribute to improved livability in urban ecosystems. The purpose of URF is to create pathways to readiness for PMRs with a focus on accessibility. We do this in four pivotal ways:
1.       Publishing a series of Guides to PMRs
2.       Conducting workshops (virtual & in-person)
3.       Providing vendor-independent advisory services
4.       Leading the project to draft the ISO DTS 4448 deployment standard for PMRs
As you begin (or continue) your journey to deploying mobility innovations such as PMRs, we are pleased to offer additional publications, webinars, workshops and advisory services to support you.
Please contact us if you are interested in hosting a workshop or want advisory support for your next steps. URF's Discovery Guide and Project Guide (Parts 2 & 3) will be available for purchase on our website when they are published (in Q1 and Q2 respectively). https://www.urbanroboticsfoundation.org/guidebooks