How one university changed overnight when it let 25 semiautonomous robots roam its campus

The little white robot on wheels began its journey outside Blaze Pizza. Hanging a quick right, the machine rolled past groups of hurried students, over sidewalk cracks and twigs, down a ramp, up a hill, and across a two-lane street -- pausing briefly to "look" for cars. Fifteen minutes after departing, the robot arrived outside Commonwealth Hall, a freshman dorm on the northwest side of the George Mason University campus, where Shamor Williams was waiting. The hungry 19-year-old had never ordered lunch from a robot before, but the Internet technology major operated like a pro. Casually opening the device's lid with his smartphone, he removed a 10-inch cheese pizza, pausing only to reflect upon his novel encounter with a semiautonomous machine when asked.