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Niantic's Visual Positioning System Guides Delivery Robots

3/19/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Niantic Spatial has developed a Visual Positioning System using a dataset of over 30 billion Pokémon Go images to guide delivery robots.
The VPS uses real-time camera feeds to determine robot positioning, improving navigation in GPS-challenged urban areas.
Niantic partners with Coco Robotics, which operates 1,000 delivery robots in Los Angeles and Chicago, and CEO John Hanke emphasizes technology's role in solving autonomous delivery challenges and ensuring better customer experiences.

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Story summary

Niantic Spatial has developed a Visual Positioning System using a dataset of over 30 billion Pokémon Go images to guide delivery robots.
The VPS uses real-time camera feeds to determine robot positioning, improving navigation in GPS-challenged urban areas.
Niantic partners with Coco Robotics, which operates 1,000 delivery robots in Los Angeles and Chicago, and CEO John Hanke emphasizes technology's role in solving autonomous delivery challenges and ensuring better customer experiences.