Abstract: Robotic automation and methods described herein can be used to enhance the efficiencies of order fulfillment and inventory stowage processes. For example, this document describes the integration of elevated pathways that are dedicated for mobile robots to use in conjunction with a human-operated order picker lift to transport items for order fulfillment processes in an efficient manner. In some embodiments, the elevated pathways for the mobile robots can be at least partially integrated into storage systems such as pallet racking. The described systems and methods allow the elimination of human labor particularly related to transporting saleable goods and similar items. Mobile robots take over many of the tasks related to transporting the picked items. Accordingly, the efficiency of the human order picker, as measured by the number of line items picked per hour for example, is greatly enhanced.

Abstract: Robotic systems can autonomously pick a particular desired item from a mixed inventory storage location that includes multiple differing types of items. The autonomous robotic system can thereby facilitate order fulfillment and inventory management processes in an efficient manner. In particular, the systems and methods described herein can greatly reduce the amount of time required for a human worker to pick orders. The systems described take over many of the tasks related to picking items. Accordingly, the efficiency of order picking processes, as measured by the number of line items picked per human labor hour for example, is greatly enhanced.

Abstract: Robotic automation and methods described herein can be used to enhance the efficiencies of order fulfillment and inventory stowage processes. For example, this document describes the use of mobile robots in conjunction with a human order picker to pick and transport items for order fulfillment processes in an efficient manner. The described systems and methods allow the elimination of human labor particularly related to transporting saleable goods and similar items. Mobile robots take over many of the tasks related to transporting the picked items. Accordingly, the efficiency of the human order picker, as measured by the number of line items picked per hour for example, is greatly enhanced.

Abstract: Warehouse automation and methods of automatically sorting and sequencing items can be implemented to streamline and expedite order fulfillment and store replenishment processes in a cost-effective manner. Some embodiments described herein include sorting items to a truck-level, inducting items for a first truck into a first portion of a mobile robot field, accumulating the items in the first portion of the mobile robot field until all the items for a first cart of the first truck are in the first portion, moving, by one or more mobile robots, all of the items for the first cart in a sequence that corresponds to a store aisle layout, loading the first cart in the sequence, and moving the loaded first cart into the first truck, which can be accomplished in a particular sequence with other carts for the first truck.

Abstract: Robotic automation and methods described herein can be used to enhance the efficiencies of order fulfillment and inventory stowage processes. For example, this document describes the integration of elevated pathways that are dedicated for mobile robots to use in conjunction with a human-operated order picker lift to transport items for order fulfillment processes in an efficient manner. In some embodiments, the elevated pathways for the mobile robots can be at least partially integrated into storage systems such as pallet racking. The described systems and methods allow the elimination of human labor particularly related to transporting saleable goods and similar items. Mobile robots take over many of the tasks related to transporting the picked items. Accordingly, the efficiency of the human order picker, as measured by the number of line items picked per hour for example, is greatly enhanced.

Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing efficiencies of dense pallet storage systems are described. For example, this document describes systems and methods for enhancing efficiencies of dense pallet storage systems by arranging pallet flow racking to define a high variety of lane lengths and non-orthogonal aisles.

Abstract: Robotic systems can autonomously pick a particular desired item from a mixed inventory storage location that includes multiple differing types of items. The autonomous robotic system can thereby facilitate order fulfillment and inventory management processes in an efficient manner. In particular, the systems and methods described herein can greatly reduce the amount of time required for a human worker to pick orders. The systems described take over many of the tasks related to picking items. Accordingly, the efficiency of order picking processes, as measured by the number of line items picked per human labor hour for example, is greatly enhanced.

Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing efficiencies of dense pallet storage systems are described. For example, this document describes systems and methods for enhancing efficiencies of dense pallet storage systems by arranging pallet flow racking to define a high variety of lane lengths and non-orthogonal aisles.

Abstract: Flexible mobile robot charging systems described herein can be automatically moved to the work areas of energy-depleted mobile robots to provide onboard battery recharging without requiring the mobile robots to spend time traveling to a fixed location battery recharging station located away from the work area or in a suboptimal location within the robotic work area. Accordingly, the efficiency and utilization of the mobile robots can be enhanced by eliminating non-value-added travel time of the mobile robots and the time and cost of setting up the battery recharging stations can be reduced using the mobile robot charging systems and methods.

Abstract: Systems and methods of controlling material flow can be used to streamline order fulfillment. For example, according to some embodiments described herein, takt times of goods-to-person order picking work cell processes are enhanced to expedite order processing. A goods-to-person order picking process involves moving items for an order directly to a work cell of an operator or an automated system. At order processing work cells, one or more items are transferred from origin containers and placed in shipping containers in accordance with customer orders. Work cell redundancy can be utilized to enhance efficiencies of goods-to-person order picking processes in some cases.

Abstract: Warehouse automation and methods of controlling material flow can be used to streamline order fulfillment processes. For example, according to some embodiments described herein, systems and methods for enhancing automated material handling and storage systems by facilitating multi-level accessibility of materials moving into and out of a three-dimensional storage and retrieval system can be used to enhance the efficiency of warehouses and order fulfillment processes.

Abstract: Warehouse automation and methods of controlling material flow can be used to streamline order fulfillment processes. For example, according to some embodiments described herein, the inventory capacity of a mobile robot field is enhanced by vertically expanding the storage space that is readily accessible by mobile robots that facilitate an order sortation process. In result, the handling of inventoried items is reduced, and the efficiency of order fulfillment processes is increased.

Abstract: Robotic automation and methods described herein can be used to enhance the efficiencies of order fulfillment and inventory stowage processes. For example, this document describes the use of mobile robots in conjunction with a human order picker to pick and transport items for order fulfillment processes in an efficient manner. The described systems and methods allow the elimination of human labor particularly related to transporting saleable goods and similar items. Mobile robots take over many of the tasks related to transporting the picked items. Accordingly, the efficiency of the human order picker, as measured by the number of line items picked per hour for example, is greatly enhanced.

Abstract: Robotic automation and methods described herein can be used to enhance the efficiencies of freight shipping processes. For example, this document describes the use of automated systems and methods for densely loading cargo into freight carriers (e.g., semi-trailers) in an efficient manner. Some such systems can include one or more movable robots that can travel along an open side or open top of a semi-trailer to autonomously load parcels into the trailer in a densely packed manner. The disclosed systems and methods allow for the reduction or elimination of manual labor for loading shipping trailers in a very dense manner.