Material Handling / Logistics / Supply Chain

GermanBionic400x275German Bionic, which manufactures smart power suits for industrial applications, has announced that functional updates can be performed via wireless remote transmission. The German Bionic OS, which connects the power suits to the cloud, makes this possible, the Augsburg, Germany-based company said in a statement.

 

InOrbitWebinar400x275InOrbit, which develops cloud-based software to help companies manage and orchestrate their robotics deployments, has announced a webinar to showcase the features and functions of its platform and how it relates to robotics operations, also known as RobOps. The free webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, May 26, 2021, at 8 a.m. PT.

 

NextShiftRobotics400x275JASCI Software, which develops software-as-a-service warehouse management software, has announced the acquisition of NextShift Robotics, an autonomous mobile robot maker based in Lowell, Mass. As a result of the acquisition, NextShift will operate as JASCI Robotics, focused on innovating warehousing and logistics, the companies said in a statement. The financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

 

KrogerDeliveryDrone400x275The Kroger Co. and Drone Express have announced a pilot program to offer grocery delivery via autonomous drones, expanding the retailer’s ecosystem to provide customers with “anything, anytime, anywhere.” The pilot program will take flight this spring in the Midwest, the companies said in a statement.

 

FetchFamily400x275Fetch Robotics has announced that its suite of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) conforms with ANSI / RIA R15.08, the safety standard for industrial mobile robots. Fetch says this ensures that Fetch’s AMRs can be safely utilized in all current use cases throughout warehouses, factories, distribution centers and fulfillment centers.

 

MiR Florisa400x275Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR), which develops autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), has announced a 55% increase in sales during Q1 2021, compared to the same period last year. The company said a large number of its Q1 sales are for the MiR250, the company’s latest and most compact AMR, with several orders from multinational organizations looking to invest in large fleets of robots as they automate material handling and internal logistics.

 

ExynDrone400x275Exyn Technologies, which develops autonomous aerial robot systems for complex, GPS-denied industrial environments, has announced it achieved the highest documented level of aerial autonomy. At Level 4A Autonomy, Exyn’s drones are capable of free-flight exploration of complex spaces, with the complete determination of flight path at 2+ meter/second flight speeds, and with higher data collection in larger volumes.

 

AMProboticsTech400x275AMP Robotics, which develops artificial intelligence, robotics and infrastructure for the waste and recycling industry, has announced AI-powered material characterization software that enables the recognition and classification of recyclables that flow through different recovery stages of the recycling process. This innovation helps provide measurable transparency on the recyclables captured and missed during different recycling processes, as well as confirming the composition of recovered material bales destined for resale to end markets in the supply chain.

 

PlusOneRoboticsFounders400x275Plus One Robotics, which develops vision software for logistics robots, has announced raising $33 million of Series B funding. The funding will be used to support the company’s ongoing expansion in the U.S. and Europe, as well as continued product development to meet rapidly rising customer demand driven by the global boom in e-commerce, the company said in a statement.

 

UhnderPort400x275Austin, Texas-based Uhnder, which is developing digital imaging radar technologies for automotive and logistics applications, has teamed up with Yunshan Technologies to deliver a digital perception radar sensor solution for use in autonomous trucks operating in shipping ports. China Merchants Port (CMPort) is an early adopter and deploying digital perception radar in a fleet of autonomous trucks at its Mawan Smart Port in Shenzhen, China.

HDSGlobal400x275Home Delivery Service (HDS Global), a highly personalized eCommerce delivery service powered by the RoboFS AI-based robotic fulfillment system, has announced a $3 million strategic investment by Bob DiRomualdo, CEO of Naples Ventures and chairman of the board of directors at Ulta Beauty. The funding will accelerate the development and deployment of the company’s RoboFS demonstration center, located in Indianapolis.

BerkshireGrey400x275SoftBank Robotics and SoftBank Logistics have announced a joint partnership with Berkshire Grey to offer an advanced third-party logistics service for eCommerce fulfillment. The SB Logistics’ 3PL offering uses Berkshire Grey’s Intelligent Enterprise Robotics solutions that autonomously pick, carefully place, and pack customer orders to best meet the extremely high standards in the Japanese market, the companies said in a statement.

KrogerOcado400x275The Kroger Co. has launched its first Customer Fulfillment Center (CFC) in the U.S., combining vertical integration, machine learning, and robotics to provide customers with affordable, friendly and fast delivery of fresh food. Powered by Ocado Group, the CFC is located in Monroe, Ohio, a city north of Cincinnati. 

PickleRobotDill400x275Pickle Robot Co. has released a video showing off details of its Dill robot, which can unload boxes from messy trailers at a rate of more than 1,600 picks per hour. The company’s Trailer Unload configuration will be available for reservations in June, with shipping expected in 2022.

GeekPlusRobotSorting400x275Geek+, which develops robotic automation solutions, has announced a successful collaboration with Asda Logistics Services and AMH Material Handling to launch an intelligent sorting system in Asda’s distribution center. The new system provides Asda with the capacity to support continued growth across its parcel collection and returns business, the companies said in a statement.

Kiwibot 400x275Kiwibot, a robotic delivery service that has completed more than 150,000 robot deliveries in Santa Monica, Calif., and other locations, has announced the launch of its next-generation Kiwibot 4.0. The company plans to expand deliveries to other cities beginning in May and has partnered with Chick-fil-a to pilot robot deliveries with the fast-food chicken giant.