Unlike in the past when robots were a preserve of the manufacturing industry, the robotic sector has evolved to include hospitals, mines, distribution centers, casinos, hotels, offices, and any other sector with automation ripe processes. In this post, we shall discuss how distribution centers can leverage robots to enhance their operations.
Advancement of the robotics logistics industry
Currently, the robotics logistics industry is evolving fast and there are numerous emerging technologies which are availing more robust solutions. The convergence of modern and advanced technology such as application competence and data science is exposing new smart robotic solutions to prolonged challenges.
Still, the expansive robotics technology provides a huge potential for distribution centers and is currently automating formerly manual tasks. Of course, this automation techniques result from major advancements in onboard intelligence, vision, and allied and gripping components all of which are incorporated in a merged package. Distribution centers can benefit from the use of robots by:
Becoming smart
There are various factors to consider before adopting gripping technology. For starters, establish whether there is sufficient intelligence within the center to drive the tools. This involves scrutinizing the robot’s brains which in this case is a combination of data science, sensors, and machine learning which stimulates the robot to perform its tasks.
To establish the significance of robot intelligence, imagine popular rigid gripping items such as chopsticks. Humans utilize these items to grip and move food with minimal trouble, a sector that many robots struggle with. So far, humans have advanced cognition, perception, and motion organizing systems which robots lack.
However, advanced technology allows humans to design vision systems which can help robots find certain items. What’s more, motion organizing algorithms can also be designed to enhance the robot’s ability to pick the items up. Challenges, however, are bound to come up when the items or gripping techniques are changed.
The task becomes easier with the right tools
Using the right tools is important regardless of the robot you are using. This is because gripping techniques play a major role in enhancing capability. Innovations in tooling can improve cognition and perception to ease the task.
Universal Robot grippers, for instance, utilize high-quality materials which are similar to the ones found in living things to ease the grasping process of specific delicate items such as eggs and tomatoes. Using this mild gripping technology eases sensing and vision requirements, especially because soft robotics don’t need the same precision level as is the case with rigid grippers when it comes to gripping items.
Leverage data science to teach robots
Machine learning and data science technologies are seeking to enhance the capability of robots by addressing how the robots should utilize grippers for stock keeping and packaging units available in the distribution centers. Appropriately discerning an unstructured and high powered environment such as the distribution center requires massive data processing. Let’s use a baseball hat illustration.
Computer vision algorithms can be formulated to establish the features of the baseball cap. However, when a beanie is introduced in the picture, this algorithm is bound to fail. Expert vision engineers can revise the algorithm to ensure the robot recognized the beanie. Assuming you want to incorporate a different type of hat, then you will need a different development cycle for the same.
The data operated machine learning approach, on the other hand, utilizes massive data from various types of hats to teach the system how to manage new styles including those that the robot has not encountered before.
Data and integration
Small and medium-sized businesses, as well as big corporate companies, can adopt robots to enhance the execution of various tasks. However, establishing the ideal provider that integrates data science, robotics, and logistics prowess in one solution can be an arduous task. With the increasing popularity and complexity of distribution centers, department leaders should consider robots from an all-round perspective that incorporates comprehensive processes and existing systems.
Finally
Robots are evolving to allow for automation of diverse tasks and this raises the question of connectivity. Entrepreneurs should leverage the potential of connected software and gadgets to monitor the evolution of logistics tasks, manage processes and resources, and offer actual-time data for comprehensive output.
