Robotics & Automation News

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convenience

Delivery robot startup Serve Robotics raises $13 million in seed funding round

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Serve Robotics, an autonomous sidewalk delivery robot company, has closed a $13 million expanded seed funding round.

The companies participating were strategic investors Uber Technologies; Delivery Hero backed DX Ventures; 7-Eleven’s corporate venture arm, 7-Ventures; and Wavemaker Partners’ food automation focused venture studio Wavemaker Labs.

The new round extends Serve’s previous seed funding and includes participation by existing seed investors Neo, Western Technology Investment, and Scott Banister among others. [Read more…] about Delivery robot startup Serve Robotics raises $13 million in seed funding round

Berkshire Grey secures $23 million order for grocery picking robots

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Berkshire Grey, a provider of robotic solutions that automate supply chain processes, has secured a $23 million multi-phase order with a global retailer for online same day grocery fulfillment.

The Berkshire Grey Intelligent Enterprise Robotics (IER) solutions robotically pick grocery items from inventory and pack the items into customer bags to fill orders that are placed online and via mobile apps.

Berkshire Grey’s robotic solutions can operate back-of-store, putting the operation close to current shoppers for rapid pickup and delivery, and in larger dedicated fulfillment and distribution centers. [Read more…] about Berkshire Grey secures $23 million order for grocery picking robots

Geek+ and Circle K implement ‘Asia’s largest smart warehouse for grocery deliveries’

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Geek+ is supplying 100 autonomous mobile robots to Circle K for its distribution center in Hong Kong.

The companies say the implementation represents the commitment of Geek+ and Circle K Hong Kong to “build supply chain resilience using technology and support customers with a wide selection of products and excellent services”.

Today, the distribution center of 140,000 square feet handles the deliveries of more than 300 Circle K convenience stores in Hong Kong, serving over 600,000 customers daily. [Read more…] about Geek+ and Circle K implement ‘Asia’s largest smart warehouse for grocery deliveries’

Walmart begins to scale local fulfillment centers

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Walmart, the world’s largest supermarket chain, has started to scale its local fulfillment centers in the apparent belief that highly automated micro-warehouses are the way to go. 

The company has been working with a range of robotics companies on changing many aspects of its operation, and Alphabot (main picture) is one of the robots it has been testing.

Brian Roth, senior manager of pickup automation and digital operations for Walmart US, says: “With Alphabot, our associates should be able to put even more focus on helping the customer.” [Read more…] about Walmart begins to scale local fulfillment centers

Circle K to build fully automated store in partnership with Standard Cognition

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Circle K, a large grocery chain in America, is to build a cashierless store in partnership with Standard Cognition.

Alimentation Couche-Tard, which operates close to 14,500 convenience stores worldwide, including the Circle K chain, has selected Standard Cognition to pilot touchless, autonomous checkout technology for its stores.

Together, the two companies will launch what they claim will be the world’s first convenience store retrofitted with artificial intelligence technology, located in the Phoenix, Arizona area, with other stores to follow. [Read more…] about Circle K to build fully automated store in partnership with Standard Cognition

Walgreens chooses Postmates for grocery deliveries

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Walgreens and Postmates are partnering to provide quick, convenient, on-demand delivery for customers looking for over-the-counter medications, health and wellness, beauty and grocery products.

Postmates will deliver hundreds of Walgreens’ most popular items from 174 Walgreens and Duane Reade locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Whether it will use its delivery robots remains to be seen, but it’s certainly an option in the long term.

Craig Whitmer, VP, merchant business development, Postmates, says: “In the last year, orders from convenience and drugstores have increased by 68 percent. [Read more…] about Walgreens chooses Postmates for grocery deliveries

FedEx to test Wing Aviation drone for Walgreens deliveries

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Wing Aviation, an Alphabet company, is collaborating with FedEx and pharmaceuticals retailer Walgreens to launch a first-of-its-kind drone delivery service in Christiansburg, Virginia next month.

The pilot program will demonstrate the many benefits of drone delivery to communities by exploring methods to enhance last-mile delivery service, improve access to health care products, and create a new avenue of growth for local businesses.

Drone delivery in the United States has historically been limited to small-scale demonstrations on designated test sites, or extremely short flights along pre-planned, fixed routes – all within the visual line of sight of the drone operator. [Read more…] about FedEx to test Wing Aviation drone for Walgreens deliveries

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