In the complex landscape of logistics, which is marred by a shortage of trained personnel, coupled with the ongoing pandemic, the need for automation is indispensable. However, when it comes to exception handling, humans have an advantage over robots, as most robots are programmed to handle only so many exceptions. That is why there is a need for a smart robot.

The rapid growth of eCommerce has also fuelled this necessity during this COVID-19 period, as warehouses have to do more with less. The Netherlands based Smart Robotics is well poised to help organizations fulfil their obligation. For the logistics industry, Smart Robotics has developed a robot- and integrator-independent software platform focused on item picking. The company furnishes the Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) business model with updates and upgrades over time as technology continuously evolves. “Via RaaS, we offer the latest and greatest to our customers,” says Mark Menting, Founder and Managing Director, Smart Robotics.

RaaS enables their robots to be up and running quickly at the customer. Smart Robotics currently focuses on increasing pickability, and especially the possibility to use one robot and gripper to handle the broadest selection of products possible.

The simple and easy to use interface allows a person to quickly help the robot in the unlikely event that a product comes along that the robot cannot get hold of. “The AI evaluates its internal status and the external environment at a frequency of 100 Hz (100 times per second) and continuously makes the decision what the “best next step” is for the robot,” adds Menting. Besides, the Smart Robotics team monitors the performance of their systems remotely.Based on that data, they optimize their development process and advise their customers on the observations done in the customers’ logistics process to help improve performance and thus their business case.

The company has been working hard during the pandemic time. One of their customers required help from Smart Robotics to automate the palletizing process at their warehouse completely. Scarcity of labour got a new dimension as the social distancing norms were strictly adhered. Smart Robotics rose to the occasion and shipped the equipment to the customer along with an eight-minute DIY installation video. The customer was able to follow the instructions and was ready with the complete integration of their new palletizing robot in half a day.

In another case related to social distancing, a customer was forced to cut down the workforce without interrupting the workflow. Two operators worked close together, which risked the well-being of the operators as well the business. The floor space at the warehouse was limited, and the task was performed manually. Hence, the client employed a Smart Robotics’ solution and was able to transform to robot-human operator collaboration. “The client was able to achieve a semi-automated work environment where the human operator performs intelligent tasks like verification and quality control while our robot is handling product manipulation,” says Menting.

Smart Robotics aims to seamlessly integrate their intelligent robot solutions with the customer environment without interrupting the workflow. The company is aligned with the new wave of automation (high mix, low volume) in the logistics industry, and is focusing on growing its geographical reach. And the fact that their solution is not pre-programmed but is dynamic will be a massive advantage in their endeavour.