Photo: Madison Rodgers/WBZ NewsRadio
LOWELL, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Lowell’s latest coffee spot is embracing the future and putting robots to work.
Ping Coffee is a small green pod in a parking lot outside of an office building.
Rob Whitten started Ping alongside his partner Jane Lo. He said the goal is to get people their coffee without having to wait in line.
“Ping is an automated drive-thru experience. You download the app and share your location,” Whitten said.
Once you order on the app, you turn on Bluetooth and drive up to the pod to get your coffee. The app will sense when the customer is close and start making their coffee so it is ready right when the customer arrives.
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Whitten also told WBZ NewsRadio that they are using A.I. technology to scan your car to make sure that your drink comes out at the perfect height.
For now, he and his partner are running the operation inside but they hope that will change in the future.
“Our goal is to work on this for another two months, and [then] raise money so that we can fully automate it for the winter and then re-release it in the spring," Whitten said.
WBZ NewsRadio's Madison Rogers (@MadisonWBZ) reports
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