Robot hauls food waste at Eastern Market

State of play: Rather than making vehicles, Orange Sparkle Ball operates a software platform that dispatches the smallest electric vehicle possible, such as sidewalk robots and cargo bikes, for a given job.

• The idea is to create the best vehicle match for each load.

How it works: Orange Sparkle Ball's platform, called Penny Pickup, works like a logistics hailing service. Vendors select what material needs to be moved — such as food waste or cardboard — and the system assigns a vehicle suited to the task.

• At Eastern Market, GPS pins have been used to help vehicles navigate sheds, alleys and loading areas.

What they're saying: The company has completed more than 40 pickups at Eastern Market, saving an estimated 600 pounds of emissions, founder Meaghan Kennedy tells Axios Detroit.

What's next: Orange Sparkle Ball plans to expand its Eastern Market pilot from food waste to cardboard collection, with a test of an autonomous pallet mover expected later this winter.