Mobile Manipulation Robot Autonomous Picking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current automation systems for piece picking in logistics facilities are costly and inflexible, requiring significant infrastructure modifications and are not suitable for retail centers with static shelving, leading to reliance on manual labor due to high upfront costs and lack of adaptability.
Innovation Solution
A mobile robotic system with sensors and manipulator arms that can autonomously navigate and pick items from existing storage racks, allowing for interchangeable robotic and manual picking, reducing the need for infrastructure changes and enabling efficient piece picking and put-away operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If automated picking systems are implemented, then productivity and speed are improved, but device complexity and infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the picking operation into independent mobile robotic units, each capable of autonomous navigation and item retrieval. This segmentation allows the complex automation task to be distributed across multiple simpler, modular robots rather than requiring one large complex system.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile robots are equipped with autonomous navigation capabilities, sensors, and onboard computing to independently locate themselves and items, navigate to storage locations, identify targets using vision systems, and execute picking operations without continuous human intervention or centralized control.
2Productivity
If automated picking systems are implemented, then productivity is improved, but adaptability to existing infrastructure deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses mobile robots with dynamic navigation capabilities that can adapt their paths and operations in real-time based on the warehouse layout and item locations. The robots can operate in existing static shelving environments without requiring infrastructure modifications, dynamically adjusting to the existing facility design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces fixed mechanical automated storage and retrieval systems with mobile robotic units that use sensors, vision systems, and software-based navigation. This substitution allows the system to adapt to existing infrastructure rather than requiring specialized mechanical infrastructure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual piece picking is used, then adaptability to existing infrastructure is maintained, but productivity and time consumption worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual human labor with autonomous mobile robots equipped with vision systems and automated manipulation capabilities. This substitution maintains compatibility with existing shelving and storage infrastructure while dramatically increasing picking speed and reducing time consumption.
4Productivity
If fixed automated storage and retrieval systems are used, then productivity is improved, but adaptability to retail centers with static shelving deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile robots provide dynamic, flexible automation that can operate within retail centers' static shelving environments. Unlike fixed automated systems, these mobile units can navigate around existing racks and shelves, making them suitable for retail centers that cannot modify their infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for piece-picking or piece put-away within a logistics facility. The system includes a central server and at least one mobile manipulation robot. The central server is configured to communicate with the robots to send and receive piece-picking data which includes a unique identification for each piece to be picked, a location within the logistics facility of the pieces to be picked, and a route for the robot to take within the logistics facility. The robots can then autonomously navigate and position themselves within the logistics facility by recognition of landmarks by at least one of a plurality of sensors. The sensors also provide signals related to detection, identification, and location of a piece to be picked or put-away, and processors on the robots analyze the sensor information to generate movements of a unique articulated arm and end effector on the robot to pick or put-away the piece.