MassRobotics announced (May 18th) the release of what it claimed to be the “World’s First Open Source Autonomous Mobile Robot Interoperability Standards.” The MassRobotics AMR Interoperability Standard is designed to assist organizations in the deployment of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) from multiple vendors and have them work together in the same environment, better realizing the […]

I am interested in seeing how the warehouse robotics landscape evolves. It is becoming clear to me that heterogenous environments will c0ntinue to be a reality, and likely expand along with robot adoption. SVT Robotics is one of the first names I heard in this niche. And finally this week I learned more. During the […]

Three years ago, my colleague Steve Banker wrote an article about the Amazon supply chain, asking if it was the most innovative in the world. In the article, he wrote about Amazon Relay, the acquisition of Whole Foods, Amazon the carrier, and the expansion of its warehousing capabilities. As the world is in year two […]

The Robotic Industries Association (RIA) hosted its virtual Autonomous Mobile Robot Conference earlier this week (October 26 – 27). I personally kicked off research on the global mobile warehouse robotics market earlier this month and therefore chose to attend conference sessions that provided insights on the broader context of mobile warehouse robotics, namely the concepts of ecosystems, integration, and interoperability.  Autonomous mobile robot (AMR) interoperability as a concept found its way into many sessions but it was the main topic of the session presentation by Aaron Prather of FedEx. A unifying architecture as the mechanism to scale AMR adoption…

Ecommerce sales have boomed during the pandemic. Young technologies that support last mile deliveries are getting increased attention. Which of these technologies have the most potential post-Coronavirus?

Warehouse robotics are truly reshaping the way organizations are handling materials within the four walls of their warehouse. Leveraging digital technologies that are connected to physical assets, but managed by a central software application, delivers the level of visibility required to sense and respond more effectively than you can if you’re operating in silos. The best practice is to tie them into the WMS to obtain a fully automated workflow.

Is the future of drones here? There have been plenty of trials that would indicate that home delivery drones are right around the corner. The FAA has loosened restrictions and selected eight companies to help establish technical requirements for home delivery. However, there are still a number of obstacles to overcome. But, for other uses, drones are getting the job done. This includes inventory management within warehouses and yards, monitoring equipment at ports, farms, and job sites, and re-stocking ships at sea. With these use cases in mind, the present and future of drones both look bright when it comes to drones.