An operator scans the parcel and then manually places it onto a small conveyor that sits atop of the robot. At the same moment, the robot determines that it has a parcel and based on the barcode information, a destination within the warehouse is determined. This exit will be matched to the robot, which then calculates how to best find the destination and starts to roll.

Behind the barcode, there is an address, and behind that, there is a sorting plan. The robot chooses the optimal path, based on where it has to go to, and as fast as possible. The robot takes into account other robots operating in the warehouse and accordingly deviates from any path already claimed by another robot. Nothing has been installed on the floor, the robots make the calculations themselves.

Once the robot has navigated the route and successfully arrived at its destination, it can either roll the parcel into a chute or wait for an operator to manually remove the package. To extend the autonomous process a step further, a robotic arm that operates in synchronization with the robots is in development.

The solution is incredibly easy to scale-up. Throughput can be increased by simply adding more robots, or extending the network through additional warehouses. The key to the system is simplicity. The solution can scale up or down one robot at a time. And with this comes robustness. – Because if a single robot fails, it’s only that. One robot. The operation will not fail or even halt. Quite simply, the next robot takes over the task.