Robotics & Automation News

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retail

Cashier-less shopping ‘not in demand’ for US small businesses

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Small businesses should keep their cashiers, according to the 2019 Cox Business Consumer Pulse on Small Businesses in the US.

The Amazon Go cashier-less shopping model is only of growing interest among respondents ages 18-29 – up eight percentage points from last year. Seventy-seven percent of surveyed consumers prefer to interact with other people at the checkout.

The preference for person-to-person interaction likely has to do with the level of service small businesses deliver. Fifty-three percent of surveyed consumers said small businesses provide better customer service than larger businesses.

[Read more…] about Cashier-less shopping ‘not in demand’ for US small businesses

Cleveron robots go to work at Decathlon

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Retail click-and-collect company Cleveron’s lockers and parcel robots have been deployed by Decathlon in Hungary.

According to Decathlon Hungary’s Online Marketing Director Gergely Román, the total number of parcels ordered via their online store has grown by 40 per cent in one year.

Decathlon uses Cleveron 402 and two Cleveron 301’s to hand out online orders. Customers who have placed an online order come to the store, insert their order code at the parcel robot and retrieve their parcel.

[Read more…] about Cleveron robots go to work at Decathlon

Locus Robotics and Manhattan team up for retail and 3PL customers

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Locus Robotics, a leader in autonomous mobile robots (AMR) for fulfilment warehouses, has announced a strategic integration partnership with Manhattan Associates, a supply chain and omnichannel solutions provider.

The partnership makes Manhattan a licensed reseller of Locus’s autonomous, multi-robot solution for warehouse fulfillment and will facilitate the development of integration tools to improve productivity and efficiency for shared retail and third-party logistics (3PL) customers.

“The sustained massive growth in e-commerce has left the supply chain industry at a turning point. Retailers and 3PLs are seeking autonomous mobile robots to solve their productivity, efficiency and labour challenges,” said Rick Faulk, CEO of Locus Robotics.

[Read more…] about Locus Robotics and Manhattan team up for retail and 3PL customers

Report: Retailers must ‘go the extra mile’ on delivery

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A new study from the Capgemini Research Institute has highlighted that retailer investment in “last mile” delivery – the final leg of the online purchase journey – is needed in order to uncover new revenue streams.

The report found that 97% of organisations believe that current last-mile delivery models are not sustainable for all locations, and that free shipping costs cannot be maintained unless delivery costs are reduced through automation.

“The Last-Mile Delivery Challenge: Giving retail and consumer product customers a superior delivery experience without impacting profitability,” study surveyed over 2,870 consumers in addition to 500 supply chain executives, and entrepreneurs and industry leaders.

[Read more…] about Report: Retailers must ‘go the extra mile’ on delivery

New robotics company Berkshire Grey aims to ‘transform’ supply chains

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A new robotics company is aiming to “transform omnichannel fulfillment”, or material handling in supply chains.

Berkshire Grey, which emerged from stealth mode this week, says it has been applying “game-changing” artificial intelligence-enabled robotics solutions at Global 100 retailers and logistics companies to transform omnichannel fulfillment.

Customers are deploying intelligent robotic systems that automate tasks never before performed by machines in commercial settings.  [Read more…] about New robotics company Berkshire Grey aims to ‘transform’ supply chains

Robotic grocery ‘ATM-style’ pick-up system launched

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Robotics startup Myrmex recently announced plans to launch its fully automated grocery pickup system to the mass market.

Boosted by the platform’s innovative, patented design, the company claims it has already received a great deal of attention from top EU industry players and is poised to make a significant disruption.

“Customers are increasingly looking digital in the quest for greater grocery shopping convenience,” insisted Founder Ioannis Kanellos.

[Read more…] about Robotic grocery ‘ATM-style’ pick-up system launched

Unmanned supermarket opens in China

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GreenMart, an unmanned supermarket established by the strategic partnership between Panasonic and the Greentown Group, has opened at Hangzhou Panasonic Industrial Park.

‘GreenMart plus’  is the first unmanned general shop to have opened in Hangzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone.

The shop sells about 500 kinds of foods and includes a Light Kitchen experience zone, complete with a line of Panasonic products, such as steam ovens, induction heaters, and dishwashers.

[Read more…] about Unmanned supermarket opens in China

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

Schnucks grocery stores give Tally the robot some work to do checking the shelves

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A mobile robot called Tally has got a job at Schnucks grocery stores, where it will wander round the aisles and make mental notes of what products are running low on stock and checking prices. 

Developed by Simbe Robotics, Tally is said to perform the tasks humans might find boring and time-consuming. It can do this while customers are shopping or after the stores close.

Simbe claims Tally is the “world’s first fully autonomous robotic shelf auditing and analytics solution for the retail industry”, and suggests the technology could save some of the $450 billion retailers lose annually through inefficiencies which Tally can help resolve.  [Read more…] about Schnucks grocery stores give Tally the robot some work to do checking the shelves

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