Fully autonomous and highly interactive inventory taking robot for precise localisation of objects for agile production and intralogistics automation

Fully autonomous and highly interactive inventory taking robot for precise localisation of objects for agile production and intralogistics automation

RoboLibri corresponds to a high Intralogistics Automation, an autonomous and interactive robot in agile production that provides a high level of intralogistics, precise product location, direct information for users and high system flexibility.

The solution

In RoboLibri, we developed a mobile robot platform equipped with a novel RFID reader architecture for automatic inventory and precise product localisation as required in agile intralogistics for a very large number of objects. In addition, the platform integrates multimodal interaction interfaces for human guidance in smart manufacturing environments or service applications such as libraries, providing seamless access to the metainformation of inventoried products. With the built-in LIDAR, 3D cameras, wheel odometry and gyroscope sensors, the robot is able to navigate large warehouses at speeds of up to 1 m/s and move through narrow aisles with centimetre precision, e.g. between rows of racks next to people, while complying with all safety regulations.


Challenge

The deviating stock levels cause companies to produce overstocks or not finish products because existing semi-finished products cannot be found. This has a negative impact on company costs and on the environment. Intelligent production with agile intralogistics requires up-to-the-minute inventory and object localisation in the centimetre range, especially in storerooms, archives and libraries with a large number of different objects.
In addition, it is necessary to efficiently guide production staff, company employees, library users and librarians to the specific objects they are looking for and to provide them with relevant information at this point or along the way, e.g. availability, related objects or works, alternative suppliers, specifications, quality data, etc.



Impact

The main objective was to provide an autonomous inventory taking platform with high localisation accuracy and effective human-robot-interaction. During the COVID pandemic outbreak, this was particularly important as many people had to stay at home. The robot still works and helps maintain material flow and production. In addition to the touch display on the robot, the focus crystallised on the use of smartphones or tablets as a user interface. This approach has the advantage that a user is not spatially bound to the location of the robot, which leads to more possibilities, e.g. a user can "call" a robot for service or send it to other people. Our approach enables as well an important human benefit, the intelligent division of labour with more satisfying work for human workers.

Facts and figures

  • FSTP Name:

    RoboLibri

  • Beneficiary Lead:

    MetraLabs GmbH -Neue Technologien und Systeme
    www.metralabs.com/en/
    Germany

  • Beneficiary 2:

    Institute of Microwaves and PhotonicsFriedrich-Alexander UniversitätErlangen-Nürnberg
    www.lhft.eei.fau.de/
    Germany

  • Beneficiary 3:

    -
  • Technology Area:

    Autonomous mobile UHF-RFID-stocktaking robot, IoT/ IIoT

  • End User:

    Libraries, manufacturing companies, archives, large retail shops, warehouses

  • Start Date - End Date:

    01/07/2020 - 30/09/2021

  • Duration:

    15 months

  • FSTP Funding:

    299 515,00 €

  • TRL Level at Start:

    4

  • TRL Level at End:

    7

  • Number of early adopters raised:

    1

  • Project results
    back to success stories
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