Today’s warehouse robots can autonomously navigate through a crowded fulfillment center, avoiding collisions with workers and equipment. But how exactly does it happen?
Ben Ames has spent 20 years as a journalist since starting out as a daily newspaper reporter in Pennsylvania in 1995. From 1999 forward, he has focused on business and technology reporting for a number of trade journals, beginning when he joined Design News and Modern Materials Handling magazines. Ames is author of the trail guide "Hiking Massachusetts" and is a graduate of the Columbia School of Journalism.
Visit a classic-car show and you’re guaranteed to see groups of onlookers gathered around the shiny vehicles, asking their proud owners, “So, what’ve you got under the hood?” Ask a gearhead that question, and you’d better settle in for a long answer.
But walk into a distribution center that’s buzzing with autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and ask the same question, and you’d probably get a quick shrug in response, even as the robot drove itself off to fetch a specific tote a hundred yards away.
So what makes AMRs work? We asked robot vendors, electronics suppliers, and industry analysts that question. They told us it all comes down to motors, software, and sensors.
SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE
One of the first things you learn when you look closely at an AMR is that these machines are not built for speed, with zero-to-60 acceleration. Rather, warehouse robots are designed to be slow and steady, toting inventory from point A to point B at a moderate pace, while avoiding collisions with racks, forklifts, and, above all, pedestrians. Safety is job one, so most loaded AMRs—like Locus Robotics’ Origin bot—cruise along at a poky 2.5 mph.
As for their payload capacity, some models have more muscle than others. For example, the capacity of Geek Plus’s P40 model tops out at 88 pounds (40 kilograms), while the company’s P1200 series AMRs can handle loads of up to 2,645 pounds (1,200 kilograms).
When it comes to the “power plant” that enables all this activity, most AMRs run on one or two rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. These are essentially heavier, higher-voltage versions of the lithium-ion batteries used in most smartphones—which makes sense when you consider that AMRs need plenty of juice in order to carry payloads, power their sensors, and hold enough charge to run for an eight-hour shift. And when their batteries get low, the AMRs will steer themselves over to a charging station for a quick refresh—known as “opportunity charging”—or, alternatively, charge up all at once overnight or during a lengthy break between shifts.
That ability to monitor their own power levels comes courtesy of another critical component found inside an AMR: its onboard computer. In addition to monitoring power levels, that computer communicates with the facility’s warehouse management system (WMS) or other software platform, retrieving the AMR’s “marching orders” and enabling the robot to report back again when it has completed each task. These computers typically connect to the facility’s wireless network via Wi-Fi antennas on the AMR.
At the same time, AMRs manage other calculations directly on the vehicle itself, without a wireless link. These tend to be safety-critical calculations like those associated with navigation or collision avoidance, where systems can’t run the risk of losing connectivity through a “dropped call” or a power outage.
HOW SENSITIVE IS YOUR AMR?
If you continue to poke around under the hood of an AMR, you’ll find there’s more technology inside than just the battery, computer, and antennas. There’s also an impressive array of sensors, which essentially act as the machine’s eyes and ears.
These sensors vary greatly in sophistication. On a simpler machine like an automated guided vehicle (AGV), the sensors will probably be inexpensive units—ones that rely on external infrastructure for navigation. In other words, these are sensors that require some sort of “street signs” to give them their bearings, whether it’s infrared beacons on racks and walls, stripes painted on the floor, or quick-response (QR) codes that identify specific locations.
On a more sophisticated vehicle like an AMR, the sensors will likely be higher-end units that allow for autonomous navigation, says Kent Kjaer, sales engineer at the Danish AMR developer Mobile Industrial Robots ApS (MiR). “An AMR won’t just stop dead if it detects a hand truck on the floor but will route [itself] around it, or even back up and take another route. So it needs LIDAR scanners and 3D cameras,” he says.
A LIDAR (light detection and ranging) sensor sees the world in a two-dimensional (2D) plane at a height of about eight inches off the ground. That’s enough to allow a robot to determine where it is in relation to its physical surroundings, including walls, doors, and racks—a process known as localization. But it’s not enough to provide a failsafe collision-avoidance solution: The robot still might miss a pallet lying on the floor or a pair of lift-truck forks extended above its detection range.
So AMR developers typically add another sensor called a three-dimensional (3D) camera that maps the robot’s surroundings roughly from floor level up to a height of five or six feet. MiR, for example, combines a forward-looking 3D camera with a 270-degree field of view (FOV) with a similar one looking backward, and combines the two inputs for a full, 360-degree picture, Kjaer says.
MiR also adds proximity sensors in each corner of the AMR to detect any nearby objects that the cameras may have missed (like an object someone just placed on the ground). As an AMR moves through its environment, it fuses those multiple sensor inputs into a single image that refreshes many times per second, helping it avoid collisions and find its way through a process called simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM).
A SENSOR FOR EVERY APPLICATION?
Compared to years past, today’s engineers have an unprecedented array of specialized sensors to choose from when designing an AMR, says Tyler Glieden, a market product manager at SICK Inc., a German sensor manufacturer.
For example, they can opt for a mechanical LIDAR sensor, which works by shooting a laser beam that reflects off a spinning mirror in different directions, and then measures the time of flight (TOF) as the laser light reflects off its surroundings. Newer models achieve the same end with solid-state LIDAR that works without moving parts. Either way, as a robot rolls faster, it can adjust those sensors to “look” farther down the road, giving it more advance warning of obstacles and ensuring it has enough time to stop even while carrying a heavy load.
They also have their pick of LIDAR sensors that are rated for outdoor use—meaning they allow a robot that moves between buildings to navigate in low-visibility conditions, like rain, snow, and fog. Still other models are designed for robots that work in refrigerated storage areas and freezers, with features that prevent them from fogging up as the temperature changes.
To manage all those variables, SICK also offers the “Sick Safety System,” which collects laser scanner data and analyzes it using software on board the AMR. That approach helps the robot avoid collisions and downtime by adjusting its driving speed to the situation.
As AMR applications evolve, robot developers continue to gussy up their offerings with new sensors and features. Some robots now incorporate digital cameras that let them take pictures of bar codes and inventory, while others feature “height sensors” that help them fetch totes off high shelves. Still other models come equipped with the equivalent of an automobile’s headlights and horn, enabling them to honk and flash before turning a corner to alert warehouse workers to their presence.
And there’s no indication that this R&D work will stop anytime soon. AMR manufacturers will continue “souping up” their robots with improved sensors, batteries, and computers, creating virtual muscle cars that can keep pace with changing logistics demands.
Online merchants should consider seven key factors about American consumers in order to optimize their sales and operations this holiday season, according to a report from DHL eCommerce.
First, many of the most powerful sales platforms are marketplaces. With nearly universal appeal, 99% of U.S. shoppers buy from marketplaces, ranked in popularity from Amazon (92%) to Walmart (68%), eBay (47%), Temu (32%), Etsy (28%), and Shein (21%).
Second, they use them often, with 61% of American shoppers buying online at least once a week. Among the most popular items are online clothing and footwear (63%), followed by consumer electronics (33%) and health supplements (30%).
Third, delivery is a crucial aspect of making the sale. Fully 94% of U.S. shoppers say delivery options influence where they shop online, and 45% of consumers abandon their baskets if their preferred delivery option is not offered.
That finding meshes with another report released this week, as a white paper from FedEx Corp. and Morning Consult said that 75% of consumers prioritize free shipping over fast shipping. Over half of those surveyed (57%) prioritize free shipping when making an online purchase, even more than finding the best prices (54%). In fact, 81% of shoppers are willing to increase their spending to meet a retailer’s free shipping threshold, FedEx said.
In additional findings from DHL, the Weston, Florida-based company found:
43% of Americans have an online shopping subscription, with pet food subscriptions being particularly popular (44% compared to 25% globally). Social Media Influence:
61% of shoppers use social media for shopping inspiration, and 26% have made a purchase directly on a social platform.
37% of Americans buy from online retailers in other countries, with 70% doing so at least once a month. Of the 49% of Americans who buy from abroad, most shop from China (64%), followed by the U.K. (29%), France (23%), Canada (15%), and Germany (13%).
While 58% of shoppers say sustainability is important, they are not necessarily willing to pay more for sustainable delivery options.
Schneider says its FreightPower platform now offers owner-operators significantly more access to Schneider’s range of freight options. That can help drivers to generate revenue and strengthen their business through: increased access to freight, high drop and hook rates of over 95% of loads, and a trip planning feature that calculates road miles.
“Collaborating with owner-operators is an important component in the success of our business and the reliable service we can provide customers, which is why the network has grown tremendously in the last 25 years,” Schneider Senior Vice President and General Manager of Truckload and Mexico John Bozec said in a release. "We want to invest in tools that support owner-operators in running and growing their businesses. With Schneider FreightPower, they gain access to better load management, increasing their productivity and revenue potential.”
Economic activity in the logistics industry continued its expansion streak in October, growing for the 11th straight month and reaching its highest level in two years, according to the most recent Logistics Managers’ Index report (LMI), released this week.
The LMI registered 58.9, up from 58.6 in September, and continued a run of moderate growth that began late in 2023. The LMI is a monthly measure of business activity across warehousing and transportation markets. A reading above 50 indicates expansion, and a reading below 50 indicates contraction.
October’s reading showed the fastest rate of expansion in the overall index since September of 2022, when the index hit 61.4. The results show that the industry is continuing its steady recovery from the volatility and sluggish freight market conditions that plagued the sector just after the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the LMI researchers.
“The big takeaway is that we’re continuing the slow, steady recovery,” said LMI researcher Zac Rogers, associate professor of supply chain management at Colorado State University. “I think, ultimately, it’s better to have the slow and steady recovery because it is more sustainable.”
All eight of the LMI’s indices grew during the month, with the Transportation Prices index showing the most growth, at nearly 6 points higher than September, reflecting increased activity across transportation markets. Transportation capacity expanded slightly during the month, remaining just above the 50-point threshold. Rogers said more capacity will enter the market if prices continue to rise, citing idle capacity across the market due to overbuilding during the pandemic years.
“Normally we don’t have this much slack in the market,” he said. “We overbuilt in 2021, so there’s more slack available to soak up this additional demand.”
The LMI is a monthly survey of logistics managers from across the country. It tracks industry growth overall and across eight areas: inventory levels and costs; warehousing capacity, utilization, and prices; and transportation capacity, utilization, and prices. The report is released monthly by researchers from Arizona State University, Colorado State University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rutgers University, and the University of Nevada, Reno, in conjunction with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP).
The port worker strike that began yesterday on Canada’s west coast could cost that country $765 million a day in lost trade, according to the ALPS Marine analysis by Russell Group, a British data and analytics company.
Specifically, the labor strike at the ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert, and Fraser-Surrey will hurt the commodities of furniture, metal products, meat products, aluminum, and clothing. But since the strike action is focused on stopping containers and general cargo, it will not slow operations in grain vessels or cruise ships, the firm said.
“The Canadian port strike is a microcosm of many of the issues that are impacting Western economies today; protection against automation, better work-life balance, and a cost-of-living crisis,” Russell Group Managing Director Suki Basi said in a release. “Taken together, these pressures are creating a cocktail of connected risk for countries, business, individuals and entire sectors such as marine insurance, which help to mitigate cargo exposures.”
The strike is also sending ripples through neighboring U.S. ports, which are hustling to absorb the diverted cargo, according to David Kamran, assistant vice president for Moody’s Ratings.
“The recurrence of strikes at Canadian seaports is positive for U.S. ports that may gain cargo throughput, depending on the strike duration,” Kamran said in a statement. “The current dispute at Vancouver is another example of the resistance of port unions to automation and the social risk involved with implementing these technologies. Persistent disruption in Canadian port access would strengthen the competitive position of US West Coast ports over the medium-term, as shippers seek to diversify cargo away from unreliable gateways.”
The strike is also affected rail movements, according to ocean cargo carrier Maersk. CN has stopped all international intermodal shipments bound for the west coast ports of Prince Rupert, Robbank, Centerm, Vanterm, and Fraser Surrey Docks. And CPKC has stopped acceptance of all export loads and pre-billed empties destined for Vancouver ports.
Connected with the turmoil, Maersk has suspended its import and export carrier demurrage and detention clock for most affected operations. The ultimate duration of the strike is unknown, but the situation is “rapidly evolving” as talks continue between the Longshore Workers Union (ILWU 514) and the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA), Maersk said.
Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed, but Mode Global said it will now assume Jillamy's comprehensive logistics and freight management solutions, while Jillamy's warehousing, packaging and fulfillment services remain unchanged. Under the agreement, Mode Global will gain more than 200 employees and add facilities in Pennsylvania, Arizona, Florida, Texas, Illinois, South Carolina, Maryland, and Ontario to its existing national footprint.
Chalfont, Pennsylvania-based Jillamy calls itself a 3PL provider with expertise in international freight, intermodal, less than truckload (LTL), consolidation, over the road truckload, partials, expedited, and air freight.
"We are excited to welcome the Jillamy freight team into the Mode Global family," Lance Malesh, Mode’s president and CEO, said in a release. "This acquisition represents a significant step forward in our growth strategy and aligns perfectly with Mode's strategic vision to expand our footprint, ensuring we remain at the forefront of the logistics industry. Joining forces with Jillamy enhances our service portfolio and provides our clients with more comprehensive and efficient logistics solutions."