An autonomous mobile robot can be defined as a robot equipped with numerous sensors and software applications for interpreting and understanding the surrounding environment to navigate through obstructions. It automatically determines the optimum route to accomplish tasks.
It collaborates with operators to work and perform a wide range of operations such as order picking, sorting, and other material movements within the warehouse without any human supervision.
The AMR is an upgraded version of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) to utilize advanced sensors and software applications with sophisticated algorithms for performing efficient material movement tasks independently or in conjunction with the human workforce.
AMR is equipped with arrays of sophisticated sensors and embedded intelligence to allow the bot to understand the operating environment. It enables performing complex movements or collecting operational data for advanced insights to optimize the route.
AMR usually included sensors for mapping, navigation, localization, computer vision, 3D cameras, and other environmental sensors. Mostly they are designed with LiDAR sensors for dynamic navigation and avoiding fixed and moving obstructions.
Why Autonomous mobile robots are the latest trends in the industry?
- The e-commerce and the retail sectors are staged as one of the most important opportunities for global growth and hence the operation is growing with challenges that need to be addressed the dynamic market fluctuations.
- Ever-shrinking order cycle time and complex order scenarios are increasing with day-by-day challenges and need intelligently powered software to cope.
- Covid-19 played an important role in Autonomous robots addressing the operational uncertainties and focusing on improving the service capabilities and customer experience.
- Overcoming the labor shortages and also the workforce productivity needs to be improved.
- Cost efficiency and quick ROI.
- The necessary flexibility and adaptability for meeting the dynamic business environment.
- Improving customer service experience and efficiencies of warehouse operations.
- Market penetration is increased with the emerging OpEX-oriented robots-as-a-service (RaaS) business model.
- Increased in demand due to its flexible scalability based on current or seasonal-peak business requirements.
The various aspects of autonomous mobile robots that can be enhanced are seamless facility navigation, enhanced environment state perception, safety, speed, and payload capacity. The trend is picking up fast with AMR vendors enhancing the robots with advanced sensors, indicators, and stop buttons to detect intelligently the surroundings and collaborate with humans.
The stage of improving AMR is increasing in every way. The vendors are focusing on advancing robots by embedding 3D cameras for facility maps, object identification in real-time, 5G connectivity support for better wireless experience, and support fast-charging technologies.