Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 6.17
Few would argue that robots, especially autonomous mobile robots (AMR), are moving from an emerging technology to another tool in the materials handling tool kit. That is especially true in the third-party logistics (3PL) industry, where Modern has featured AMR implementations at industry leaders like DHL, GEODIS, Rakuten Super Logistics and, in the July issue, UPS. Those articles highlighted some of the leading AMR solution providers that are now becoming household names, including Locus Robotics, inVia Robotics and 6 River Systems. While each of those providers brings different strengths and strategies to the table, what they share in common is…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 12.73
Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are moving out—slowly, it seems. They’ve been talked about for decades, as far back as the 1930s at the New York World’s Fair. In 2020, there’s been more talk about their use, potential, application and the transformation they offer to the world. But design engineers creating autonomous vehicles must consider many factors. Operational accuracy and safety are among many critical considerations. Add to this a growing number of design tools, technologies and approaches—what’s a designer to do? Proceed carefully while considering the tools and approaches available. But be sure to factor in all the ramifications of safety…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 6.18
Few would argue that robots, especially autonomous mobile robots (AMR), are moving from an emerging technology to another tool in the materials handling tool kit. That is especially true in the third-party logistics (3PL) industry, where Modern has featured AMR implementations at industry leaders like DHL, GEODIS, Rakuten Super Logistics and, in the July issue, UPS. See a detailed inside look at the moving parts of the NorthShore Care distribution center. Those articles highlighted some of the leading AMR solution providers that are now becoming household names, including Locus Robotics, inVia Robotics and 6 River Systems. While each of those…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 8.57
…warehouse automation sector. In 2019, the company released an autonomous robotic unloader that uses artificial intelligence to unload. It also released its Connected Assets offering, which builds on its connected distribution center infrastructure. The solution accumulates data on equipment and system health provide operators with the real time status and historical insights into a sortation system’s overall performance. In the fourth quarter of 2019, the company formed Honeywell Robotics, an advanced technology center focused on developing artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer vision and advanced robotics for use across supply chains. Pieter Krynauw, President of Honeywell Intelligrated: “Increasing consumer expectations for…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 12.24
…Drug Cooperative, Galluzzo and his team had built an autonomous mobile piece-picking robot that could go up and down a warehouse aisle and pick items from a shelf to a tote. At the time, they nicknamed it GOFER, which stood for general order fulfillment robot. Galluzzo now fondly describes that prototype “a Frankenrobot. We bolted things together and had a robot that went up and down one aisle picking product to a tote from shelves.” Here was the thing: While robotics of this sort was fairly new to me at the time, based on some video I viewed – and…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 7.35
…to see something truly new in the post-Kiva era: Autonomous mobile robots in a production setting at a Quiet Logistics e-fulfillment distribution center. Locus Robotics, the startup company founded by Bruce Welty and Mike Johnson, was still more concept than commercial product, but even then, Welty envisioned a multi-billion-dollar business for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) in the warehouse. A little over a year later, I had the opportunity to watch another first: a mobile piece-picking robot from IAM Robotics at work at Rochester Drug’s distribution center in New York. While the two robots were filling orders in very different ways,…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 12.20
…simple narrow-aisle pallet racking solution to the flashier pallet shuttle racking, a new racking layout won’t just provide you with more storage space - it also affords you the opportunity to reconsider how you store goods. You may decide that you want to use different varieties of system for different products or areas of the warehouse, such as double-deep racking for long-term storage and live pallet racking for more transient goods. You can also go a lot smarter, and integrate elements of automation with your racking. Perhaps the most popular emerging system is an automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS).…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 6.12
…robots into DCs for order fulfillment. At this stage, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) are the dominant type. They don’t have arms and don’t pick items. While some item picking robots do exist in retail, most consider those to be the true bleeding edge of the technology. Instead, AMRs typically move goods to pickers and back again, much like the Kiva robots Amazon bought a few years back. Furthermore, AMRs are distinct from automatic guided vehicles that tend to move different loads, often full pallets, and are usually not part of the picking process. “The idea is to automate repetitive tasks…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 15.77
…are leading a charge that one day could give autonomous vehicles a real presence on the world’s highways and byways. Those vehicles won’t be limited to passenger automobiles. Also making their way into the autonomous realm are trucks, buses, and yard and shuttle trucks. In my opinion, these autonomous vehicles which operate in controlled environments, such as ports, manufacturing plants, and distribution center yards will be the first to go mainstream. Already, companies have made fully autonomous beer deliveries and struck alliances to operate autonomous trucks (ATs) jointly. The rigs these companies are using are typically new medium- and heavy-duty…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 7.65
…the United States, as well as the adoption of autonomous mobile robots (inVia Robotics, inviarobotics.com) as the fulfillment engine for its strategically located DCs. “Amazon has done a wonderful job of creating a need that didn’t exist before and convincing people they can’t wait for the product they just ordered,” says Mike Manzione, CEO of RSL, a provider of e-commerce order fulfillment and delivery services to small and mid-sized companies. While Manzione notes that less than 20% of the client base is asking for same- and next-day delivery now, “we can see where the market is going, and we’re anticipating…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 11.94
…then they’re not behaving like typical human drivers. An autonomous navigation algorithm developed under these ideal conditions may not know how to react to the irrational, imperfect navigations of real humans on the road. “It’s not enough to come up with a nicely random simulation; you have to come up with hundreds or thousands of driving styles,” says Hoyle. It’s neither safe nor practical to put unproven autonomous vehicles on the public road for testing. Therefore, most developers would invariably rely on simulation to make sure their vehicles can make the right decision, even in the highly unusual “edge” scenarios.…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 25.49
Geek+ (Booth N6327) is introducing a variety of autonomous mobile robots for warehousing and order fulfillment—including e-commerce applications—in its exhibit. Carmen Hung, sales and marketing manager, noted that the company has completed several installations in Asia and Europe. “At ProMat we’re featuring the newest version of our P800 mobile robot, created to navigate under shelves of stored product, then carry them to a central location for order picking,” she said. “This goods-to-person solution allows workers to be more productive and spend less time walking to pick the items they need.” The robots are powered by machine learning algorithms to continuously…