We continue our Building the Future series on robotics with a look into the autonomous mobile robotics (AMR) industry. This group received a lot of attention recently when Amazon announced Proteus, the newest addition to their 520,000-unit strong warehouse robot workforce. Proteus is Amazon’s first completely homegrown AMR and is expected to significantly improve both warehouse productivity and safety upon its upcoming release in the next several months.
Today this market is providing incredible automation opportunities for warehouse and logistics applications, but soon enough may be coming to a sidewalk near you as well!
Autonomous Mobile Robots Explained
Most autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) are smaller, low-profile wheeled robots primarily used in factory logistics for moving materials around warehouses. Using artificial intelligence, AMRs can navigate independently, learn new routes, and avoid obstacles, humans, or other robots which get in their way. Companies like MIR, Fetch, and Tompkins Robotics have been pioneers in this market for some time.
Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) systems such as LiDAR (Laser-imaging Detection and Ranging), computer vision, and other technologies use cameras and on-board sensors to help these robots visualize and navigate their surroundings.
Warehouse AMRs may have payloads of more than 450 kilograms and can safely maneuver at almost 1.5 meters per second. However, while the majority of AMRs are used for warehouse applications, they are certainly not confined to this one use or even one conventional design.
AMRs are beginning to be extended to other general applications including:
- Item delivery
- Agricultural applications (seeding, crop cultivation, weed removal, livestock management, etc.)
- Household cleaning
- Inventory management
- Emergency response
Ultimately, AMRs can be used to accomplish tasks or reach locations that are too difficult or too dangerous for human beings. This also makes AMRs highly cost effective for companies looking to automate various areas of their businesses.
AMRs in Detail
AMRs are and have been the go-to resource for companies automating their warehouse logistics in recent years. The incredible stability and payload capabilities offered by conventional AMR designs, as well as a global shift towards automated technologies, has made this possible.
Unfortunately, outside of a warehouse atmosphere, most of these conventional designs are largely ineffective. Designed to navigate in enclosed spaces without changes in elevation, it is no surprise that many of these AMRs become impractical in other environments.
As a result, drones with AMR capabilities and some humanoid robots are gaining increasing attention from businesses and corporations alike. While Proteus provides companies like Amazon incredible warehouse efficiency, Amazon’s recent multi-million-dollar investment in humanoid robots from Oregon-based company Agility Robotics also speaks volumes.
Agility Robotics markets their humanoid-AMR hybrid robot, Digit, similarly to a conventional AMR. Its purpose is factory logistics, and while it has a much smaller payload (around 18 kilos), Digit adds plenty of flexibility, as its human-like design allows it to climb stairs and traverse rough terrain, including the outdoors. (For more information on the humanoid robotics industry see our recent post)
This is not to say that humanoids or autonomous drones will make conventional AMRs obsolete; this is far from the case. AMRs in a warehouse setting remain incredibly productive, safe and cost-effective automation tools. However, AMR design may change drastically in coming years, as some of the roles with which AMRs are just now being tasked may soon require more practical robot designs, something which Amazon and other investors appear to be keenly interested in.
The Dura Digital Takeaway
The automated robotics landscape is rapidly evolving, and while a wide variety of exciting robot designs currently compete for distinct advantages in flexibility, safety, carrying capacity, and other capabilities, conventional wheeled AMRs remain the most prevalent automated logistics solutions.
In the coming years, look for AMRs to evolve into new designs and branch out from the factory and warehouse settings. For humanoid-AMR and drone-AMR hybrids in particular, the future appears especially promising. At Dura Digital we continually invest in future technologies with the hope of providing insights and awareness of new technologies that help you transform your business. Contact us for more details on how we can enable you and your organization in your digital transformation journey.
