Maersk and BionicHIVE have been working for four months on a pilot designed to assess automation processes that sort, select and put away packages and can navigate warehouse floors using built-in cameras and sensors, moving between people and objects.
According to Maersk, this product can climb on the existing warehouse racking to sort, pick and replenish cartons directly to/from any spot in the rack.
The evaluation is being conducted at a Maersk warehouse in Mira Loma, California and is expected to last another four months.
In addition, the mobile units are battery-operated, running a smart-power consumption module which automatically replaces its power packs.
Erez Agmoni, global head of innovation for Logistic and Services at Maersk, commented, “By integrating BionicHIVE’s SqUID solution into our warehouse operations, we will be able to optimise processes and better serve our customers in a rapidly evolving market.”
SqUID’s software integrates into warehouse management systems, providing real-time inventory data.
Maersk claims that the global warehouse automation market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 14.2% through 2026.
