Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

inventory

Zebra Technologies unveils new robot for retail operations

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Zebra Technologies has introduced SmartSight, a robot for mass merchants, grocers, and supermarkets and hypermarkets.

The company is showcasing the new machine at NRF 2020, the retail technology show currently being held in Chicago, USA.

SmartSight leverages the computer vision, machine learning, workflow automation and robotic capabilities of Zebra’s EMA50 enterprise mobile automation system to accurately identify out-of-stock conditions, pricing inconsistencies and planogram issues on the shelf. [Read more…] about Zebra Technologies unveils new robot for retail operations

Fetch Robotics launches new system for real-time inventory visualization in warehouses

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Fetch Robotics, a provider of autonomous mobile robots for warehouses, has launched a new system for real-time inventory visualization.

The company says its new RFID visualization capabilities allow third-party logistics companies, manufacturers and retailers to autonomously capture, and then analyze and visualize inventory data in the cloud.

Fetch added the “new and unique” capabilities to its TagSurveyor technology, a robotic RFID solution that allows customers to gain complete visibility of assets in their fulfillment centers, distribution centers or warehouses via visualization of inventory data on a facility map. [Read more…] about Fetch Robotics launches new system for real-time inventory visualization in warehouses

Retailers expected to buy more than 150,000 robots by 2025

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The retail sector is expected to buy more than 150,000 robots by 2025, according to a study by ABI Research.

The next generation of mobile robots for cleaning, inventory management, and material handling are “passing the test in retail”, says ABI.

Several robotics companies have grown their autonomous mobile robot fleet in 2019 and are poised to scale exponentially over the next five years. [Read more…] about Retailers expected to buy more than 150,000 robots by 2025

Simbe Robotics raises $26 million in Series A funding round

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Simbe Robotics, which specializes in robotics and artificial intelligence for retail, has completed two separate funding deals.

One was a Series A equity financing round, and the other was an inventory financing agreement with SoftBank Robotics.

Simbe says the financing will allow the company to increase efficiencies in production and deployment of its Tally robot. [Read more…] about Simbe Robotics raises $26 million in Series A funding round

There’s an app for that: Automating the moving of parts from warehouses to field service technicians

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By Travis Smith, founder and CTO, WithoutWire Inventory Sciences

A typical process to move parts from a warehouse to a field technician generates a 77 percent reduction in barcode scans using automated optimization

Field technicians are paid to do their job, not to study software manuals. Many field techs are under 40 and have spent their lives using Android and iOS apps. These solutions are easy to install; with a minimal learning curve, automating, tracking, and replenishing truck inventory in real-time is now possible.  [Read more…] about There’s an app for that: Automating the moving of parts from warehouses to field service technicians

Softbank and Simbe partner to promote retail robot

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SoftBank Robotics America (SBRA) and Simbe Robotics have announced a global partnership on retail inventory handling. Simbe Robotics, creator of Tally, the world’s first autonomous shelf auditing and analytics robot, will use SBR’s international reach and operational efficiencies to increase its business globally.

SBR and Simbe aim to expand the use of Tally in Japan, North America and Europe in the near future and more broadly over the coming years.

Tally is claimed to give retailers visibility and insight into the state of store merchandise, with alerts for out-of-stock, low stock, and misplaced items; audited product price tags and promotional execution; autonomous inventory audits; and continuous in-store performance insights for brand and retail service partners.

[Read more…] about Softbank and Simbe partner to promote retail robot

Next generation pick-to-light offers dynamic automation scalability

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Pick-to-Light

By Thomas Cutler

Until now pick-to-light equipment has represented a significant fixed capital expense with little consideration for variable use, often driven by seasonality, warehouse/distribution variance, and project management flux.

From manufacturers to 3PL (third-party logistics) companies, these swings in low or high usage represented a level of waste as purchased lights went unused and wasted.

Pick-to-light is a fulfilment technology which uses alphanumeric displays and buttons at storage locations to guide the manual picking and recording of items for shipment.  [Read more…] about Next generation pick-to-light offers dynamic automation scalability

Bossa Nova Robotics partners with Digimarc on retail product scanning technology

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bossa nova robotics

Bossa Nova Robotics and Digimarc are collaborating to automate planogram compliance by combining the two companies’ scanning and robotics technologies. 

A planogram is a visual representation of the layout of a store and the arrangement of its products.

Bossa Nova says its robot would help retailers make more strategic, money-saving inventory management decisions.  [Read more…] about Bossa Nova Robotics partners with Digimarc on retail product scanning technology

Consumer demand, and the demanding consumer, for the holidays

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thanksgiving

By Thomas R. Cutler

Consumer spending trends suggest this holiday season for retailers and logistics companies will drive an improvement of 15 per cent year-over-year.

With retail sales in the US expanded 0.8 per cent in October after a strong 1 per cent gain in September, the Wall Street Journal’s Josh Mitchell reported, in the best two-month stretch of sales in at least two years.

The brisk spending is a strong sign that the economy is picking up steam, with both wages and employment rising. The expansion, mostly e-commerce, proves that once again online sales are growing at triple the rate of overall retail sales.  [Read more…] about Consumer demand, and the demanding consumer, for the holidays