Warehouse automation specialist Locus Robotics, Wilmington, Mass., has released a hardware and software suite designed to speed ecommerce fulfillment processing for retailers and warehouse operators, the company said this week.

Code named "Snowy Owl," Locus's Winter 2019 release was announced during the National Retail Federation's Big Show in New York City, which runs from January 13-15.

The release includes upgrades and enhancements to the company's robot hardware, navigation software, user experience (UX), and management dashboards and reports that will improve worker productivity, operational performance and efficiency for retail/e-tail, third-party logistics (3PL), distribution and industrial specialty customers, the company said.

"It is an exciting time for innovation in retail," Rick Faulk, Locus Robotics' CEO said in a statement announcing the upgrade. "Major brands and third-party logistics companies are turning to technology to maximize productivity in an increasingly competitive labor market. This new suite of software and hardware includes the most advanced and innovative suite of robotics capabilities on the market to date, and will ensure that our customers can meet the needs of their consumers and achieve the highest productivity gains possible."

Some new features include:

• Gamification, which helps "motivate and inspire higher productivity via fun competition," the company said. Measured either individually or in teams, workers are able to see, in real-time, how their individual performance compares to that of their peers, through leaderboards and rankings, and earn on-screen awards.
  
  
• Directed picking, featuring intuitive on-screen graphics that direct the warehouse worker to the next nearest pick location, helping to minimize unproductive walking time and improve picking speeds.
  
  
• Worker performance indicators that allow each worker to graphically visualize their productivity level while working, in real time, both in the absolute, and relative to performance goals. This is especially valuable when "pay-for-performance" incentives are being used, the company said.
  
  
• Blue safety lighting, featuring a bright safety light that projects from the front of each bot when in operation, for added warehouse safety.
  
  
• In-depth management reporting via a new pOréal that features detailed reporting systems to optimize and manage operations.
  
  
• Dynamic software that actively tracks and adjusts the robots' travel paths through the warehouse to minimize traffic congestion, allowing for higher productivity and picking.
  
  
• "Top-off" charging via software that automatically recognizes slow order times, directing robots to charge or "top off."