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Locus Robotics reaches half-a-billion units picked milestone

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Locus Robotics, a provider of autonomous mobile robots for warehouses, says it has surpassed the half-a-billion-units-picked milestone. This new achievement was attained just 94 days after Locus reached their 400 million level.

Rick Faulk, CEO, Locus Robotics, says: “Reaching our half-billion pick milestone this quickly underscores the critical business value that Locus’s proven technology brings to our customers around the world as they face exploding order volumes and limited labor availability.

“As ecommerce volumes increase, the pace of picking with LocusBots is also increasing exponentially. Locus’s first 100-million milestone took 1,542 days while the most recent 100 million picks took just 94 days. [Read more…] about Locus Robotics reaches half-a-billion units picked milestone

Outrider opens ‘industry’s first’ test site dedicated to distribution yard automation

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Outrider, the startup company pioneering autonomous yard operations for logistics hubs, has opened the Outrider Advanced Testing Facility, which it says is “the first-ever test site dedicated to distribution yard automation technologies”.

Located in Brighton, Colorado, this 200,000-square-foot distribution yard with 49 dock doors operates 16 hours per day, five days per week and will expand to 24-hour operation in 2022.

This test facility is being used to validate Outrider’s autonomous capabilities, supporting the scaling of deployments at customer sites. [Read more…] about Outrider opens ‘industry’s first’ test site dedicated to distribution yard automation

Lucas Systems and Fetch Robotics partner to optimize robot-and-worker collaboration in warehouses

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Lucas Systems, a provider of voice and warehouse optimization software for fulfillment and distribution centers, has entered a partnership with Silicon Valley-based Fetch Robotics to enable the next generation of smart warehouses.

Through the partnership, Lucas and Fetch will offer tailored solutions to orchestrate and optimize how warehouse workers interact in harmony with Fetch’s autonomous mobile robots.

Fulfillment and distribution centers are under tremendous pressure due to growth in e-commerce combined with a shrinking labor market. [Read more…] about Lucas Systems and Fetch Robotics partner to optimize robot-and-worker collaboration in warehouses

Deutsche Bahn invests in Gideon Brothers 
in $32 million financing round

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Gideon Brothers, a robotics and AI solutions company, has received a new investment from Deutsche Bahn Digital Ventures, the venture capital arm of Deutsche Bahn Group, as part of the recent Series A financing round led by Koch Disruptive Technologies valued at $32 million.

The Series A investment will accelerate the development and commercialization of Gideon Brothers’ AI and 3D vision-based autonomous mobile robots that automate horizontal and vertical material handling operations.

The company is also expanding its manufacturing, sales, customer success, and marketing operations across key markets of the EU and United States, by opening offices in Munich, Germany and Boston, Massachusetts. [Read more…] about Deutsche Bahn invests in Gideon Brothers 
in $32 million financing round

Norway prime minister officially opens AutoStore Innovation Hub

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AutoStore, the leading robotic technology company, has created a pioneering test facility that can allow for faster fitting of automated systems for its clients to keep up with order demand.

Prime Minister of Norway, Erna Solberg (pictured below cutting ribbon), was said to be “deeply impressed” by AutoStore’s success when she officially opened the new test center and had it demonstrated.

As she officially opened the Innovation Hub, Solberg said: “AutoStore is a guiding star showing the way towards growth for the Norwegian private sector.” [Read more…] about Norway prime minister officially opens AutoStore Innovation Hub

Geek+ and WSR Solutions launch smart palletizing solution

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Geek+, a provider of autonomous mobile robots for warehouses, has launched a new solution for “Smart Mixed Case palletizing”, co-developed with WSR Solutions, a provider of intelligent warehouse management tools.

The solution combines Geek+ autonomous mobile robots and WSR’s intelligent palletizing algorithm to help warehouse operators systematically handle the processing of multiple outbound orders in an efficient, safe, and flexible way.

Lit Fung, vice president of APAC, UK and the Americas at Geek+, says: “We are thrilled to work together with WSR Solutions to provide a tool that targets every aspect of the outbound logistics process, from how goods are stored and moved around the warehouse to how pallets are stacked, streamlining processes by eliminating the need for re-palletization, and optimizing overall space utilization.” [Read more…] about Geek+ and WSR Solutions launch smart palletizing solution

Musashi AI, 634AI and Suzuyo to collaborate in installing autonomous mobile robots in logistics centers in Japan

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Musashi AI, a group company of Japanese Musashi Seimitsu Industry Company, has successfully completed a proof of concept for Autonomous Mobile Robots at Suzuyo, a Japanese third-party logistics company, in partnership with 634AI, a Musashi Group affiliated company and the developer of Maestro, an industrial automation and mobility management software.

Suzuyo, a Japanese logistics conglomerate with an annual turnover of circa $1.2 billion, successfully tested Musashi AI’s AMR powered by Maestro, a platform-agnostic control tower for logistics automation developed by Israeli company 634AI.

The AMR autonomously moved pallets in the facility from one location to another smoothly and efficiently. The proof of concept was performed in Suzuyo’s Shinshizuoka distribution center in Shizuoka prefecture. [Read more…] about Musashi AI, 634AI and Suzuyo to collaborate in installing autonomous mobile robots in logistics centers in Japan

Vecna Robotics and Alta Material Handling to bring ‘high-capacity autonomous mobile robots to expanded markets’

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Vecna Robotics, the autonomous mobile robot and workflow orchestration company, is partnering with Alta Material Handling.

The partnership enables Alta MH to bring the capabilities of Vecna Robotics’ high-capacity AMRs to its customers looking for highly versatile, safe and integrated pallet-handling solutions.

Over 1.8 billion pallets are in circulation in the US each day – with billions more across the globe – but less than 1 percent of the millions of material handling vehicles moving them are automated today. [Read more…] about Vecna Robotics and Alta Material Handling to bring ‘high-capacity autonomous mobile robots to expanded markets’

Kiwibot and Sodexo launch robotic food delivery services to three university campuses

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Kiwibot, a robotic last-mile delivery company, is partnering with Sodexo, a food services and facilities management company, to expand its robotic fleet to “drive the future of smart university campuses”.

This August, the two companies will make robot deliveries available at three campuses in the US:

  • New Mexico State University;
  • Loyola Marymount University, California; and
  • Gonzaga University, Washington.

Kiwibot says it offers full remote and in-field customer support to businesses and integrates with any business’s point-of-sale to distribute their food products via “powerful, cute-looking robots”. [Read more…] about Kiwibot and Sodexo launch robotic food delivery services to three university campuses

Starship Robots to launch almost 100 delivery robots at multiple new college campuses

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Starship Technologies, a provider of autonomous delivery services, says it will begin its robotic delivery services on four additional college campuses:

  • University of Illinois Chicago (UIC);
  • University of Kentucky (UK);
  • University of Nevada, Reno (UNR); and
  • Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Daytona Beach, Florida campus.

These campuses join the list of college campuses across the US where Starship robots will continue to provide deliveries this fall with its global fleet of over 1,000 robots. [Read more…] about Starship Robots to launch almost 100 delivery robots at multiple new college campuses