Fuji Corp. said it has used its know-how from years of experience in robotics and automation to develop a system for automatically moving wheeled carts in retail stores. The company plans to demonstrate the new system at NRF 2023 next month in New York.
Developers have been working on various technologies to aid in the regular delivery of goods from distribution centers to stores, such as self-driving trucks. “However, once goods arrive inside the store, there is a lot of manual labor involved in getting the goods all the way to the shelves,” noted Fuji.
Retailers want their staffers to focus on activities that benefit customers' shopping experience, said the company. Fuji claimed that by automating the work of moving carts by shelves, its new system can help improve service.
New robot to operate after hours
Fuji said that its autonomous mobile robot (AMR) can handle multiple types of carts used in retail stores and that it requires no changes to existing store layouts or infrastructure.
To evaluate the practicality and capability of Rally, Fuji began testing the robot in July 2022 at selected stores of Cainz, a top home-improvement center chain in Japan.
Once tags have been added to carts, the robot can recognize them automatically and move the goods wherever they are needed in the store, said the company.
“By operating in the dark after hours, productivity is improved to the maximum possible extent,” according to Fuji.
Fuji to exhibit at NRF
Fuji plans to display its Rally system in development at NRF 2023, “Retail's Big Show,“from Jan. 15 to 17 in New York. The Cupertino, Calif.-based Fuji Innovation Lab will be at Booth 8041 in the Javits Convention Center.
The company plans to demonstrate the ultra-thin model, with its “class-leading height dimension.”
Founded in 1959, Fuji Corp. develops, manufactures, and sells electronic component mounters and machine tools. The Minato, Japan-based company said it provides robotics and sustainable technologies for applications in manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare.
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