Vertical Bin picking - Robot-as-a-Service

Complex task

Classic" bin picking involves one level: a bin is in place and something is to be taken from it. Companies such as robominds also offer solutions for containers that are staggered one above the other. Recognition is important, but the picking of different items must also be successful. This former problem has been solved in the meantime. There are grippers that can pack completely different shapes/packages(link). The situation becomes more complex when boxes are stacked on top of each other in a confusing manner, when they are also to be controlled by a mobile robot, and when the goods to be recognized can change more frequently. Especially the latter is the case when robots are only used temporarily. This is the case, for example, with eCommerce companies with high seasonal workloads. Robots could be leased to these companies (Robots-as-a-Service or RaaS for short).

Renowned investors

The American company Vicarious counts Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg among its investors. Together with other backers (including Samsung), these individuals have provided $200 million so far. Viscarious now wants to push vertical bin picking together with GreyOrange. GreyOrange is a US$170 million funded AMR specialist from Singapore. When two such heavyweights in the industry, with good contacts to MIT to boot, work together, one can be excited about the future.

It would not be surprising if the Kuka investment roboception were working on something similar.

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The author of this blog is significantly involved in the AI/robotics project Boost-Bot involved. He advises robotics companies and investors on market (entry)/business development and funding/subsidies. The standard book on cobots is also written by Guido Bruch.