Wheeled delivery robots can already navigate sidewalks and transport small orders, but a problem arises during the final stretch of the journey: stairs, curbs, and uneven terrain can still prevent these machines from reaching the customer's door. To address this issue, the US company Robot.com introduced the R-Dog, a quadruped robot developed specifically to complete this final leg of deliveries.

The R-Dog combines articulated legs with wheels mounted on its feet; on flat surfaces, the wheels allow it to move quickly and efficiently. However, when it encounters obstacles, the legs can bend and lift the body, enabling it to cross curbs and even climb or descend stairs. The robot's body also serves as a cargo compartment, designed to carry various items, including food orders and standard packages.

Upon reaching its destination, the R-Dog does not necessarily need to wait for someone to retrieve the package; an opening at the rear of the compartment releases, allowing the package to slide out, after which the robot can proceed to its next delivery. The company has not yet explained exactly how the system will select which package to release when multiple deliveries are being transported simultaneously, but making deliveries is just one of the intended functions.

The R-Dog features two digital screens mounted on the sides of its body that can display advertising as the robot moves through the streets; these ads are managed via the RDS platform, which allows for the remote transmission and control of displayed content as well as the monitoring of resulting interactions. The R-Dog also includes a conversational audio system capable of responding to people in real time. To manage operations, the R-Dog uses Remy—the same fleet management platform employed by the company's other robots—enabling the new quadruped to be integrated into the existing infrastructure controlling various robot.com machines without the need to develop a completely separate operating system.

The production version is also expected to utilize FudIA artificial intelligence models as part of its autonomy system, helping the robots operate in unpredictable, dynamic environments. Commercial rollout is scheduled for 2027.