Players of Pokémon Go have unintentionally taught courier robots over the years.

How “Pokémon” Now Helps Delivery Robots
Brief:

Niantic, the developer of Pokémon Go, and Coco Robotics have teamed up to use location data collected from millions of players for precise navigation assistance for delivery robots. The new visual positioning system (VPS) allows robots to navigate with centimeter-level accuracy, even where GPS fails.

1. From Games to Delivery – Pokémon Go first opened an AR world to users almost ten years ago. Since its launch the app has attracted hundreds of millions of players, making them wander streets, parks, and parking lots in search of virtual creatures.

- Today that “pedestrian map” can be used not for entertainment but for practical tasks: quick and accurate movement of delivery robots.

2. Partnership Between Niantic Spatial and Coco Robotics – In a recent announcement the Niantic Spatial team (part of the group behind Pokémon Go) signed an agreement with Coco Robotics, a manufacturer of small mobile robots for short‑distance food delivery.

- The robots will use Niantic’s VPS technology to orient themselves in the city.

3. What VPS Is and Why It Matters – VPS determines an object’s position not via satellites but by its surroundings: buildings, signs, monuments.

- Accuracy reaches a few centimeters thanks to the robot’s “eyes” – four cameras that scan visible landmarks.

- GPS often fails in dense urban areas or under bad weather; VPS does not rely on satellite signals.

4. How Pokémon Go Data Became Useful – Initially players with photos and videos from their smartphones created a massive image database: over 30 billion shots of various places at different times of day and weather conditions.

- In 2020 the “Field Research” section was introduced, encouraging players to photograph real objects (statues, monuments) for in‑game rewards.

- These images were turned into 3D models of urban features used to train Niantic’s VPS system.

5. Expert Assessment – “The challenge of getting Pikachu running down streets and the challenge of making a Coco robot safe and accurate are the same problem,” said John Hanke, CEO of Niantic Spatial, in an MIT Technology Review interview.

6. Delivery Potential – Today about 50 million people still play Pokémon Go, and location data remains current.

- Delivery robots tested in university towns often got lost when crossing streets due to weak GPS; now they can navigate using surrounding buildings and objects.

- This could reduce delivery time and lower delays.

7. What’s Next? Niantic is considering expanding collaboration with other companies working on autonomous vehicles to use VPS technology for a broader audience of robots and drones.

Summary:

Data collected from millions of Pokémon Go players now helps delivery robots navigate city streets with centimeter accuracy. It exemplifies how crowdsourced information from one domain (gaming) can be redirected into another (logistics), opening new possibilities for autonomous systems.