Available for ‘ANT driven’ AGVs and AMRs, SmartPass is a robust, safe, and highly configurable technology that meets the core efficiency goal of obstacle avoidance without the drawbacks of traditional AMRs. SmartPass suits all types of automated vehicles and industrial sites.

No matter how clean a site, and how well trained its staff, the paths of mobile robots sometimes become blocked… AGVs typically manage this situation by sending an alarm to an operator, while AMRs take any route possible, without limitation. The first can lead to transport delays, the second to traffic deadlocks. SmartPass effectively bridges the gap between the two.

commented BlueBotics’ CEO, Dr. Nicola Tomatis.

Bridging the gap between AGVs & AMRs

SmartPass enables automated vehicles to follow virtual paths most of the time — for efficient, robust, and repeatable operation — while performing pragmatic obstacle avoidance maneuvers when blockages are detected.

“Rather than layering basic traffic management over obstacle avoidance functionality — which AMR producers have attempted with limited results — SmartPass does the opposite,” Tomatis explained. “It adds smart, configurable obstacle avoidance to ANT navigation’s default ‘virtual path follower’ mode. This ensures the powerful traffic management features of our ANT server fleet manager are also applied to SmartPass maneuvers.”

Three key SmartPass benefits

ANT’s SmartPass function offers three key benefits that together are unique in the mobile robot industry:

1. Efficiency-focused movement
   • Vehicles using SmartPass take the shortest route around an obstacle — within pre-configured limits — before returning immediately to their virtual path.
   • SmartPass-enabled vehicles also move faster than traditional AMRs. Travelling at optimal speeds and with optimal acceleration, they follow virtual paths and respect clear traffic rules most of the time, switching to slower, more reactive speeds only when needed.
   • Vehicle actions like moving forks and communicating with equipment take place during SmartPass maneuvers, saving time versus the more common sequential approach.
   • SmartPass maneuvers are blocked near pick/drop points to guarantee precision.
2. Minimizes deadlocks
   • By managing the movements of vehicles within the ANT server’s existing traffic management framework, SmartPass guarantees that vehicles only avoid obstacles when there is no risk of blocking another robot, minimizing the chance of deadlocks.
   • Vehicles only move around objects and never around other vehicles, a further cause of deadlocks.
3. Fully configurable
   • SmartPass can be configured to suit every user’s site and operational needs. Customers can define, for example, the maximum distance a vehicle is allowed to travel from its virtual path; the areas (and even individual routes) of a site where SmartPass cannot be used; and vehicle-specific parameters such as the exact distance to stop before an obstacle.

“SmartPass doesn’t allow robots to roam freely, and it is built from the ground up on ANT server’s powerful traffic management, virtually eliminating the chance of deadlocks,” Tomatis added. “We are confident this safe, prudent approach best meets the needs of industrial customers looking to deploy AGVs and AMRs in what are often high-traffic locations.”

SmartPass is available now for vehicle makers, system integrators, and end users deploying ‘ANT driven’ AGVs/AMRs managed by BlueBotics’ ANT server fleet manager.

The post AMR/AGV Obstacle Avoidance Software appeared first on Logistics Business.

At the International Robot Exhibition in Tokyo humanoids stole the show once again. Machines that walk, grip, and gesture like us have an undeniable magnetism, part science fiction promise, part genuine engineering marvel. Yet behind the spectacle, logistics leaders are asking whether these machines deliver demonstrable ROI, or if the industry is chasing a compelling idea that cannot yet scale.

Investment banks are certainly bullish. Morgan Stanley forecasts a global humanoid robot market worth $5 trillion by 2050, with deployment rates eventually reaching one machine for every ten humans. Those forecasts may well prove directionally right over decades. But logistics buyers don’t invest on 2050 narratives, they invest based on what can be deployed, integrated, and scaled in the next 12–24 months.

Innovation is only real when scaled

I’ve had countless conversations with CEOs in this industry who express frustration about being trapped in endless pilots and struggling to achieve meaningful traction. The pattern is familiar; exciting technology, impressive demonstrations, but no clear path to the kind of measurable, referenceable customer value that drives genuine adoption. What’s changed in warehouse automation is that customers are no longer rewarding novelty, they’re rewarding repeatable, referenceable outcomes delivered fast, in brownfield sites, under real volatility.

While there has become a hyperfocus on humanoids, most of the attention is driven by the fact that they generate a big reaction. We live in a world where reaction doesn’t equate to return on investment. Tim Tetzlaff, Global Head of Digital Transformation at DHL, captured this dynamic perfectly when he said: “Innovation is only real when scaled. Otherwise, it’s just a nice idea.” Too many robotics companies have compelling ideas but struggle to scale effectively, missing the chance to create meaningful customer impact. In practice, the winners in this cycle are the firms that scale through software-defined flexibility, not the ones chasing the most cinematic demo.

There’s a real risk that funding will dry up as ambitions collide with reality. Training robots through thousands of hours of simulation can produce impressive physical capabilities, but it grants them little genuine understanding of how the real world actually works. Warehouses are messy, stochastic environments: congestion, mixed Stock Keeping Units (SKUs), shifting priorities, human variability, and peak swings that don’t show up in lab conditions. Physical AI only becomes meaningful when systems learn from millions of real tasks in production. Purpose-built fleets do that every day, they don’t just learn how to move, they learn how the operation actually behaves. Purpose-built warehouse robots accumulate vast operational experience in the environments they are designed to serve. They know the warehouse floor because they have worked it.

The Gap Between Demo and Deployment

This gap between demonstration and deployment is the crux of the matter. Promotional videos may show humanoids performing acrobatic feats, but none can yet walk into an unfamiliar warehouse and reliably execute the complex, repetitive tasks that drive logistics operations. The most advanced humanoid models on the market today are still positioned as research platforms rather than production ready solutions. Production environments don’t just need a capable robot, they need an orchestration layer that can integrate with Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), balance priorities in real time, and keep performance stable through peak periods.

As such, I expect 2026 to bring a wave of consolidation across the robotics sector, as companies locked into humanoid development face mounting pressure to demonstrate tangible commercial value. We’ll see the hype start to fade as customers and investors demand real world results, creating an environment where only the purpose built will survive.

The Opportunity in Front of Us

Here’s the reality that often gets lost in the humanoid excitement, we estimate that less than ten percent of warehouses globally have sufficient levels of automation today. The opportunity isn’t to build robots that look like humans. It’s to build the right solutions for the right tasks. That’s also why flexible automation is winning: operators want capability they can deploy in weeks, scale up or down, and reconfigure when volumes or product mix shift. In a world of uncertainty, adaptability is the real throughput advantage.

At Locus Robotics, we’ve moved beyond Person-to-Goods automation to define an entirely new category: Robots-to-Goods. Robots can now autonomously pick, move, and replenish inventory, performing tasks that previously required multiple human touches. But the hardware is only one piece of the puzzle. The real breakthrough comes from integrating Agentic AI with Physical AI to create systems that sense, decide, and act as one. The value isn’t one heroic robot, it’s a software-defined operation that keeps improving because it learns from the work. Warehouses become cohesive ecosystems rather than disconnected islands of automation.

The Financial Times suggests Japan, with its shrinking population and cultural openness to robotics, could become one of the first major democracies to experiment with widescale humanoid adoption. Perhaps. But for logistics leaders making investment decisions today, the question is not whether humanoid robots are impressive, they unquestionably are, but whether they can deliver the demonstrable, referenceable ROI that operations demand. Purpose built robotics already can and already do.

The post Humanoid Hype? Get Real appeared first on Logistics Business.

At the heart of Atomix’s solution is its ‘1+4’ technology platform. The ‘1’ refers to Atomixer, an AI-native orchestration software platform that enables real-time coordination of heterogeneous robotic fleets while integrating seamlessly with existing WMS/WCS systems.

The ‘4’ represents Atomix’s four families of self-developed robotics, including 4-way pallet shuttles, pallet AMRs, and tote Storage Transfer Robots and Tote AMRs, designed for high-density storage, flexible handling, and efficient picking. These technologies are modularly combined into three subsystem solutions — ‘Storage Mix’, ‘Handling Mix’, and ‘Picking Mix’ — allowing system integrators to configure scalable automation systems tailored to specific warehouse needs.

A key differentiator of Atomix is its ability to orchestrate heterogeneous robotic fleets within the same environment. Powered by advanced AI algorithms such as MAPF and decentralized deadlock avoidance, Atomixer enables seamless collaboration between different robot types and third-party equipment, optimizing warehouse operations in real time.

Demo Centre

Globally, Atomix works through a partner-based delivery model, providing core technologies and products while local system integrators deliver project implementation and lifecycle services. With over 500 projects across 20+ countries, Atomix has built long-term partnerships with companies including Coca-Cola, Nestlé, Toyota, Yum China, Lotte, ITW, and Lenovo, achieving a 71% customer renewal rate.

In Europe, Atomix continues to expand through local integrator partnerships. The company has recently opened a Demo & Experience Centre in Belgium to support partners and customers across the region. Recent projects delivered in Romania and Greece demonstrate the flexibility of Atomix solutions across industries such as manufacturing and cold-chain logistics.

Visitors to LogiMAT 2026 are invited to meet the Atomix team to explore AI-powered automation solutions and discuss partnership opportunities. If you would like a free visitor ticket you can register here.

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Next-generation warehouse robots: complete, real-time visibility

Since 2023, Dexory robots have been operating in live warehouse environments, helping operators capture accurate, real-time visibility across their facilities. Building on this proven foundation, the company is now introducing the next evolution of its autonomous robot design, which is faster, more efficient, and capable of capturing significantly more data across increasingly complex warehouse operations.

The new robot operates safely alongside people and machinery without disrupting daily workflows. It captures high-frequency warehouse data and continuously feeds a live view of operations into Dexory’s digital twin platform, DexoryView. With an extended scanning range of up to 60 feet (vs. 40 feet in the current generation), the robot can process more data, faster. This delivers consistent visibility across racks of all shapes and sizes, including double-deep configurations, block storage, and other non-racked environments, creating a reliable data layer across the entire warehouse at the click of a button.

“Warehouse performance depends on how closely operational systems reflect reality on the floor,” said Richard Williams, VP of Robotics, Dexory. “By continuously capturing accurate data across every storage type and operational area, our next-generation solution gives customers a trusted, real-time foundation for decision-making. This enables warehouse operators to make decisions based on what is actually there, not what they assume is true.”

The robot’s modular architecture also ensures future-proofing, allowing warehouses to seamlessly integrate additional capabilities like pick face analysis or temperature monitoring without costly overhauls. Customers using existing Dexory’s systems have already seen remarkable results, including 80% reduction in audit time and 20% throughput improvement. The new capability extends these performance gains, solving visibility issues across all complex configurations.

Complementing the new hardware is Storage Health, a software feature powered by computer vision and AI. Running in the background during every scan and analyzing the high resolution images captured in real time, Storage Health acts as an additional layer of inspection, identifying critical issues that frequently go unnoticed during manual checks.

The feature identifies and flags potential hygiene and stock risks across all rack levels. This includes damaged racking, defective pallets, and unstable items that could collapse and endanger workers; hanging shrink wrap and empty pallets that create fire, contamination, and obstruction risks; and damaged or crushed goods that undermine stock control, driving loss and rework.

“The biggest risks often sit higher up or deeper in the racks where manual checks are infrequent and ineffective,” said Chris Coote, Director of Product at Dexory. “Storage Health changes this, enabling operations, health and safety, and inventory teams to act early and reduce risks before they escalate into costly incidents, injuries, or compliance issues.”

This dual launch reinforces Dexory’s commitment to providing complete, continuous intelligence, allowing warehouse operators to gain full visibility, think smarter, and move faster than ever before. The first public showcase of these solutions will be at Manifest 2026, booth #1055, from February 9-11, 2026.

The post Next-Gen Autonomous Robot & Software appeared first on Logistics Business.

The new facility is powered by 240 autonomous Libiao robots operating across 1,180 square metres, and is capable of sorting up to 9,000 parcels per hour, increasing the site’s previous capacity three-fold. Designed primarily for small and medium-sized e-commerce parcels up to 5kg, the system handles the bulk of both domestic and international parcel flows.

At the heart of the project is the Libiao T-Sort Sorting System, which combines artificial intelligence, advanced sensors and dynamic routing algorithms to deliver high-speed, high-accuracy sortation. Parcels are inducted via 13 workstations, scanned using barcode or QR code recognition, and then transported by Libiao’s distinctive and tried-and-tested ‘mini yellow’ robots to 130 destination chutes, serving 60 destinations across the Buenos Aires metropolitan area and 70 locations nationwide.

“This project demonstrates how intelligent robotics can transform postal and parcel operations, even in large, geographically diverse countries,” said Libiao’s Global Head of Sales Ronan Shen. “We are proud to support Correo Argentino in building a future-ready network that is faster, more accurate and scalable for continued e-commerce growth.”

Speed, Accuracy and Scalability

The Libiao T-Sort Sorting System is specifically engineered for high-throughput parcel and e-commerce environments. Unlike conventional fixed conveyor sorters, the modular robotic design allows customers to scale capacity simply by adding more robots or destinations, without major structural changes. Key benefits include:

• High throughput in compact footprints – ideal for space-constrained urban hubs
• Flexible destination configuration – easy to reassign outputs as networks evolve
• High sorting accuracy – reducing mis-sorts and rehandling
• Rapid deployment – significantly shorter installation times compared to traditional systems
• Lower total cost of ownership (TCO) – fewer mechanical components and simplified maintenance

For Correo Argentino, the installation supports its wider transformation programme, following a strong financial turnaround and continued investment in automation. A second sorter for larger parcels up to 30kg is already planned for 2026, alongside the introduction of RFID tracking, automated weighing and robotic container handling.

Growing Presence

Libiao Robotics is a leading global provider of robotic sorting, picking and material handling solutions for the logistics, e-commerce, post & parcel, retail and manufacturing sectors. The company’s portfolio includes the T-Sort Sorting System, the AirRob Bin-to-Person System, goods-to-person systems, and integrated warehouse control software.

Libiao has delivered hundreds of projects worldwide for major postal operators, 3PLs and retailers, and continues to expand its presence across Europe, the Middle East and the Americas, supporting customers with local project delivery, service and technical expertise.

“European logistics operators are facing the same challenges as their counterparts worldwide: rising labour costs, peak volatility and relentless e-commerce growth,” added Ronan Shen. “Robotic sortation offers a proven, future-proof route to higher productivity and operational resilience.”

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Sustaining growth through smarter logistics

In recent years, Volpak’s growth has accelerated, driven by the global success of flexible pouches — a format that fits the modern, fast-moving lifestyle and offers strong sustainability advantages. As demand and production volumes grew, so did the internal movement of parts and sub-assemblies, putting pressure on both space and workforce. The company faced a clear challenge: how to handle higher logistics complexity while maintaining flexibility, quality, and efficiency within the existing footprint.

From push to pull: a new logistics philosophy

Volpak’s answer was a complete shift from a ‘push’ to a ‘pull’ material-flow model, where every movement responds directly to production demand. The first milestone came two years ago with the introduction of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) that deliver selected components from the warehouse to the assembly lines. The new phase brings full system integration: a fully automated warehouse synchronized with three AMR connected to the production floor and synchronized with three AMRs, ensuring seamless, just-in-time delivery of materials.

A compact factory, a complex challenge

Volpak’s Barcelona site is spread across two levels — a configuration that naturally limits traditional warehouse expansion. To overcome this, the new system leverages vertical conveyors, high-density storage, and multi-level transport routes, creating a continuous material flow across the plant. The resulting architecture introduces a multi-level material-flow system designed to maximize capacity and minimize travel time. Each component, from inbound goods to production orders, is tracked and routed automatically through intelligent conveyors and buffer zones, linking warehouse, inspection, and assembly areas with precision timing.

Data, segmentation, and efficiency

Before implementation, Volpak performed a complete analysis of its more than 40,000 Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) — unique codes used to identify each part or component stored in the facility, classifying them into A-B-C categories based on frequency and movement. The resulting setup now dedicates high-throughput areas to ‘A’ parts (representing 80% of movements) while lower-demand components are efficiently stored in deep racks. The new automated storage system provides over 50% additional storage capacity and scalability, allowing the company to absorb an expanded SKU portfolio. The integration of autonomous robots that handle boxes directly within the racking system ensures high throughput with minimal footprint.

An ecosystem built for Lean excellence

The project consolidates Volpak’s ‘Lean Transformation’ path, which has already improved assembly areas and introduced Just-in-Time principles across operations. With the new setup, material preparation follows a ‘one-piece flow’ logic: production orders are assembled and delivered as complete kits, minimizing waiting times and ensuring that every group has exactly the parts needed to start work. The result is a faster, cleaner, and more ergonomic process that reduces handling, improves safety, and enhances operator efficiency.

Benchmark for operational future

Entirely designed and managed by Volpak’s internal teams — with Coesia’s engineering and digital expertise as enabler — the new intralogistics system represents a scalable model that could inspire similar evolutions across the Group. It embodies the convergence of Lean principles, smart automation, and advanced logistics design — proving that even a multi-level, space-constrained facility can achieve world-class operational excellence through intelligent planning and innovation. Looking ahead, Volpak’s new intralogistics architecture strengthens its role within Coesia’s long-term strategy, setting a clear path toward fully connected, Industry 4.0–ready operations and positioning the Barcelona plant as a reference model for future advancements across the Group.

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The transport solutions from DS AUTOMOTION, a supplier of mobile robotics, are designed for decades of use. To ensure that systems in production, logistics or data centres continue to operate reliably over the years, competent technical support is essential – and this is precisely what the After-Project team at DS AUTOMOTION provides.

“Our mission is to keep systems fit for the future – whether through expansion, modernisation or conversion of our automated guided vehicles and systems,” explains Martin Dollhäubl, Head of After Sales Service. The range of tasks extends from simple software updates to system extensions and complete modernisations during ongoing operations. “For us, ‘impossible’ does not exist. We always look for a solution. What matters is that the customer feels they are not alone – we take care of the task,” he assures.

Solutions for new requirements

Typical triggers for the involvement of the After-Project team are changes in production. “If a customer, for example, wants to manufacture a new product, we check whether the existing system is suitable. If not, we adapt the fleet accordingly in engineering,” Dollhäubl explains. Modified workflows with additional stations or new travel paths are also part of the team’s daily work. It is not only about technology, but also about planning reliability: “The customer must be able to rely on getting exactly what they need – without unpleasant surprises.”

This is particularly important in hospitals, where vehicles perform repetitive tasks such as transporting medicines, meals, sterile goods or waste. “Our work is often like open-heart surgery. We reconfigure systems while they are running – without anyone noticing,” says Dollhäubl (pictured, below). Six experienced employees ensure smooth operations and know the systems in detail. “We have complete documentation for every system. That makes our employees’ work much easier – whether it’s maintenance, expansion or modernisation,” he adds.

Proactive dialogue

In addition to handling enquiries, the After-Project team also takes a proactive approach to customers. Regular on-site visits help identify needs early and strengthen relationships. “Many customers appreciate that we actively seek dialogue and show how important their system is to us. This helps us strengthen our customers’ trust in the long term and maintain close contact,” says Dollhäubl. For users, this means maximum operational reliability, continuous modernisation and a partner who remains available even after decades – many DS AUTOMOTION systems have been in continuous operation for over 25 years. “It’s about giving our customers confidence. They should know that their system is in good hands – and that we will always find a solution,” he concludes.

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According to Jamie Spencer, VP of Sales – EMEA for Ocado Intelligent Automation, the forces driving transformation inside the warehouse are as much human as they are technical.

“There’s such a vast challenge right now for a lot of businesses… Traditionally, there was a large pool of labour available to support operations through growth and seasonal demand, but those pools have become much smaller. People’s interest in working in warehousing probably isn’t as attractive as some of the other roles they could do.”

That shrinking labour pool is reshaping how companies think about automation. Where once the business case didn’t quite add up, rising wages and tighter labour markets have tipped the balance.

“Now, companies can’t just throw people at a problem during peak periods… They’re looking for solutions that form part of a long-term strategy, not just a quick fix.”

Says Jamie Spencer.

Scalable Approach

That long-term strategy increasingly means flexibility, a tenet which OIA has made central to its offering. The company’s range of automation tools allows customers to scale from a handful of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) to fully automated fulfilment centres, all underpinned by the same software intelligence.

“Our AMR system is software-directed and actually works in conjunction with people,” Spencer explains. “It’s never about just removing the people. A lot of the time, it’s about retaining the headcount we have and empowering them to work more efficiently.”

The concept of ‘robots as a colleague’ rather than a replacement is gaining traction across the sector, and Spencer believes that attitude shift is essential. “Behind all technologies, there are the people, whether that’s the designers, the manufacturers or the users,” he says. “It’s about making sure automation happens at the right time for the business.”

That people-first approach is visible in OIA’s AMR systems such as Chuck, which combine performance tracking with gamification, whereby operators can earn bonuses for higher productivity while spending less time on repetitive walking and lifting. “If you can find technologies that empower people to earn more or be more efficient – and give them a little more fun through gamification – it can make the process much better,” Spencer adds. “It’s never just removing headcount. It’s amplifying it.”

Ocado’s history in online grocery fulfilment has given OIA a unique testbed for its technology, allowing it to refine systems that now have applications far beyond food retail. The best example is Ocadex, its robotic picking platform that removes much of the peripheral infrastructure on which many other systems rely.

“Traditionally, robotic pick technology has required expensive equipment like pick stations and conveyor networks,” Spencer (pictured, below) says. “We’ve developed a system mounted directly on top of our grid, removing the need for those peripherals. It drives fantastic unit economics and brilliant returns for businesses.”

The platform is already proven at scale: where installations are most mature, such as Ocado’s own grocery CFC in Luton in the UK, OGRP is now picking almost 40% of site volumes. The same system adapted for different items has handled more than one billion products in the wider retail sector.

“Picking is very challenging,” Spencer admits. “You might have a T-shirt one moment and a tube of toothpaste the next. But we’ve successfully deployed technology that can handle that diversity. We believe we’re an industry leader in item-picking technology, and we’re now taking what we’ve learned in grocery and applying it to sectors like healthcare, cosmetics, fashion and FMCG.”

Rising Expectations

Across EMEA, automation is being shaped as much by geography as by economics. Labour may be the starting point, but Spencer notes that the cost of space and the expectations of consumers are now just as important.

“We have to evaluate the cost of space as well as the cost of labour… Reducing the footprint of an operation can be critical to the business case. But we’re also seeing a big shift in customer expectations. Same-day delivery is becoming more common, and that’s forcing businesses to think about getting local to their customers.”

That shift towards micro-fulfilment and dark stores is particularly visible in urban areas across the Middle East, Europe and the UK. For companies responding to these trends, OIA’s heritage in grocery logistics – where speed and density are paramount – appears to offer a significant advantage.

“We can model where a business should locate a new site based on its order data and customer geography,” says Spencer. “We’re even seeing growing interest in locker-based delivery networks, where we can help customers optimise routes dynamically. It’s about creating flexibility. Not every order can go to a locker, but combining those drops with home deliveries creates much more cohesive fulfilment.”

Power of Data

The more complex automation becomes, the more critical data becomes to its success. OIA starts every project by mapping a customer’s fulfilment patterns through data analysis, which then feeds into its AI-driven design tools and digital twin environments.

“With any customer, the first thing we do is obtain their data,” Spencer explains. “That tells us the patterns and behaviours of their fulfilment strategy.” Those digital twins allow OIA to model and test systems before they’re built, and to continue refining them once they’re live. “Whenever we launch new software or innovations, we model them in the digital twin first,” Spencer says. “At one of our own sites, new software meant we didn’t need to add more robots as planned. We achieved all the efficiency gains without further capital investment. It shows our platforms don’t stagnate, they only get more efficient over time.”

It’s an approach that clearly helps illustrate the company’s broader philosophy to use intelligence to reduce complexity and risk for its customers.

Given Ocado’s own retail operations, I ask whether OIA’s work with its competitors creates tension around data. Spencer is quick to address that point: “Across OIA, we don’t do any direct fulfilment,” he says. “We work with multiple customers who compete in the same sectors, and they entrust Ocado with their data. We’re SOC 2 certified, governed by the highest standards of data privacy, so customers can have full confidence in how their information is handled.”

That emphasis on trust, he adds, is essential if automation is to continue expanding across sectors where collaboration and data-sharing are becoming the norm.

Looking Ahead

For OIA, growth is global but its ethos remains pragmatic. “We’re seeing adoption of our AMRs across Europe,” Spencer says. “In North America, where there’s more space, the systems are even larger. But in Europe, we’re focusing on density and vertical growth. Businesses that once found automation uneconomical are now reevaluating.”

Part of that appeal lies in scalability. “We understand what it means to start small,” Spencer notes. “We have customers with six Chucks and others operating fulfilment centres with thousands of robots. We can take you on that journey.”

That journey increasingly includes palletised and case-handling systems, another sign that OIA’s focus is shifting from standalone technologies to integrated ecosystems. “It’s not just about point-to-point solutions anymore,” Spencer concludes. “It’s about providing complete, integrated systems that help businesses scale sustainably.”

The post Warehouse Intelligence at Every Level appeared first on Logistics Business.

Denis elaborates on the benefits of AMRs, emphasizing their ability to adapt to various warehouse processes, from point-to-point transportation to complex picking tasks. This adaptability is crucial for businesses facing fluctuating demands, as AMRs can be scaled up or down to meet seasonal peaks or troughs. The discussion also introduces the innovative subscription model, Robots as a Service, which provides businesses with the flexibility to adjust their automation levels as needed. This model keeps AMRs off the balance sheet, offering a cost-effective solution for dynamic business environments.

The episode further explores the integration of artificial intelligence within Locus Robotics’ operations. Denis explains how AI enhances the navigation and decision-making capabilities of AMRs, enabling them to operate more efficiently and effectively. With over 16,000 robots in operation, Locus Robotics is at the forefront of leveraging AI to drive value for its customers.

Looking ahead, Denis shares insights into the future growth of Locus Robotics, highlighting the untapped potential in regions like North America and Europe. As the company continues to innovate and expand its product offerings, the future of warehouse automation looks promising. This episode provides a comprehensive overview of the evolving landscape of logistics, offering valuable insights for businesses seeking to stay ahead in the competitive world of automation.

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AI is becoming increasingly embedded in warehouse operations, driving efficiency and delivering measurable return on investment (ROI). It is therefore unsurprising to learn that Locus Robotics, a company renowned for its global deployment of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), is at the forefront of this transformation, leveraging AI to optimise warehouse workflows and enhance operational performance.

Dr. Oscar Mendez Maldonado, director of AI and data science at Locus Robotics, brings a unique perspective to the table. Having spent a decade in academia running a robotics and AI research lab, Mendez transitioned to the commercial sector two years ago, drawn no doubt by the sheer volume of operational data Locus collects. “Data is the thing that you want. Ninety per cent of AI is just data science – manipulating data, getting data, understanding it, and then building AI on that,” he explains. His academic background informs the company’s sophisticated approach to AI, blending research-grade expertise to create and develop practical warehouse applications.

Within logistics, Mendez is quick to highlight the nuances within the AI sphere: “AI means different things to different people. It’s a bit of a moving goal post, or a marketing term,” he observes. The current buzz around language models and generative AI mirrors earlier waves of excitement in computer vision, he says, with companies initially adopting AI as a black-box replacement for existing processes. “You will get to a point where you have to crack open that black box and inject some domain expertise,” he warns, emphasising that understanding operational workflows is key to extracting genuine ROI.

Performance Gains

At Locus, AI is designed to deliver tangible benefits across the warehouse floor to its customers. One example is System Directed Labour, a software-driven approach that guides associates’ picking routes in real time. “From the user’s point of view, it’s a very small change. All they get is a screen that says, ‘Go to aisle eight,’ or ‘Go to aisle seven,’” Mendez explains. Behind the scenes, a sophisticated AI engine optimises routes based on the location of all robots and personnel, yielding performance increases of five to 10 per cent on deployed sites. Beyond productivity gains, the system also reduces training time for new associates, supporting flexible labour models and accelerating onboarding.

Core Principles

AI’s impact extends beyond picking efficiency. Locus employs AI for obstacle detection, enhancing robot navigation in complex warehouse environments, and for improving responsiveness in customer service by parsing large datasets to enable quicker decision-making. “It ranges from really hard, lines-per-hour increases, all the way to soft benefits, improved robot navigation and improved response times,” says Mendez.

Mendez describes three core principles underpinning Locus’s AI development: physical, trustworthy, and holistic. Physical AI must manifest tangible improvements in operations, directly affecting robot behaviour and interactions within the warehouse. Trustworthy AI ensures explainability and accountability; every component can be tested and understood, avoiding opaque black-box solutions. Holistic AI considers the warehouse as a whole, optimising performance for the site rather than individual pickers. “Sometimes that means a picker might have to walk a longer way, but overall you’re increasing the throughput of the warehouse,” Mendez explains.

“AI Sprinkles”

A key focus for Locus is the ability to be able to demonstrate early ROI. Mendez outlines two strategies: what he calls “AI sprinkles” and climbing the “ROI complexity ladder.” AI sprinkles target specific operational pain points rather than overhauling entire processes. “You build something that is targeted to just fill that gap… that bit in the system that doesn’t have a good analytical or optimal solution,” he says. This approach allows rapid deployment, efficient use of data, and the delivery of immediate value to customers while maintaining system explainability.

The ROI complexity ladder involves layering AI capabilities incrementally, building on smaller interventions to enable more sophisticated applications. A simple object detector, for example, can improve robot navigation and safety, while successive layers of AI can achieve pixel-level segmentation and advanced environmental reconstruction, ultimately contributing to a fully agentic, AI-driven warehouse. “Each one of them is delivering ROI. Each one of them is training your teams. And as you build more of those, they unlock new capabilities,” Mendez notes.

Despite the sophistication of the technology, customers do not need to understand AI to benefit from it. Locus operates on a Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) model, delivering performance enhancements without requiring clients to be AI experts. “They don’t need to know about AI. They need to know about their operations, which they do. And then we build them AI that accounts for these things,” says Mendez.

The company’s approach appears to be giving it a competitive edge. Locus currently operates 350 sites with 120 customers and 15,000 robots, collecting continuous operational data. “That gives us a huge advantage when it comes to building AI,” Mendez explains. Compared to industries like autonomous road vehicles, which face a vast open-world problem with far fewer miles of training data, Locus benefits from a controlled yet highly variable warehouse environment and rich contextual information, creating an ideal setting for AI optimisation.

Ongoing Progress

Even as the company achieves milestones, such as recently surpassing six billion picks, Mendez stresses that progress is ongoing. “There are always huge advances to be made when it comes to AI. The field moves incredibly quickly, and there’s always something new around the corner,” he says. The combination of abundant high-quality data and constrained operational environments provides fertile ground for innovation and continuous improvement.

For those hesitant to embrace AI, Mendez offers pragmatic advice: start small. “You don’t have to start with the most complicated, giant AI system you’ve ever heard of. You can start small, with really small bits of AI that unlock tiny bits of value, and build capability from there,” he says. This incremental approach enables companies to realise benefits at every stage, avoiding the risks of wholesale replacement.

One of the most compelling examples of Locus’s AI vision is ARRAY, a platform designed to manage the entire warehouse workflow. It exemplifies what Mendez calls “physical AI,” integrating autonomous robots, AI-driven decision-making, and real-time optimisation across the logistics pipeline. ARRAY demonstrates how a thoughtfully constructed AI system can enhance efficiency, safety, and adaptability while remaining transparent and accountable.

Locus Robotics is one of those companies which appears to be defining what it means to integrate AI in logistics. By combining extensive data, targeted interventions, and a commitment to explainable and holistic systems, the company provides customers with measurable performance improvements while paving the way for increasingly autonomous warehouse operations. As Mendez observes, AI is not a threat but a transformative tool: “It’s here to stay. It’s an incredibly powerful technology, and it’s going to keep giving better ROI to the people that actually engage in it.”

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