BUILDING THE CONNECTED WAREHOUSE
says. The biggest hurdle to implementing materials handling solutions is integration complexity, nds a recent Interact Analysis survey. This even tops concerns about budget and cost. A warehouse that implements autonomous mobile robots, automated guided vehicles, and automated storage and retrieval systems, for instance, runs three or four different technology solutions, Allen notes. To truly streamline operations, these tools need to
example, advances in both computer vision and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) are adding to autonomous forklift capabilities. Both technologies address safety- related concerns, although in different ways. LiDAR uses lasers to calculate distance and can work well in dark or “lights out” facilities. Computer vision is software-driven technology that interprets 2D images and works well to identify colors and signs and to distinguish people from xed structures. Many providers are evaluating using a combination of the two technologies.
Arti cial intelligence may also help bring cohesion to disparate solutions. While most people naturally optimize the area for which they’re responsible, AI has the potential to look across departments and recommend what’s best for the enterprise as a whole, even if it isn’t the best decision for a single area, Schultz says. This will be key moving forward. The warehouse of the future won’t be de ned by a single breakthrough technology, Schultz says. Instead, it will depend on how effectively multiple technologies exchange information, provide operational context, and empower people to make better decisions. SEER Robotics’ orchestration solution includes a controller, software systems, and a platform that allows intelligent robots to be developed, deployed, connected, and continuously improved.
communicate and work together. The team at SEER Robotics is
focusing on what it calls the “robot brain,” Gong says. This includes the controller, software systems, and a platform that allows different types of intelligent robots to be developed, deployed, connected, and continuously improved. In addition, the company’s software helps manage robot eets in warehouses and manufacturing environments, which speeds deployment and allows warehouse operators to manage various robot types through a more uni ed architecture. Instead of treating every robot as a separate project, this helps customers build a more scalable automation foundation.
TARGETED AUTOMATION HELPS B2B OPERATIONS Much of the attention on exible
warehouse automation has been focused on ecommerce, says Cody Upp, chief commercial of cer with Vecna Robotics, a provider of intelligent robots. That’s understandable, given the growth in ecommerce transactions. However, research shows the average ecommerce package is a parcel that weighs between one and three pounds. That’s a big difference from many business-to- business (B2B) shipments. The CaseFlow solution from Vecna is geared to B2B operations. It synchronizes both human labor and robots that can handle pallets. By intelligently pairing warehouse workers with mobile robots, CaseFlow can slash the time workers would otherwise spend traveling to pick items, Upp says. CaseFlow Voice, which was recently announced, embeds voice capabilities directly into case picking work ows so workers can do their jobs hands- free. This is helpful in cold storage and similar environments, where gloves and condensation make it dif cult to use screens or scanners. INTEGRATION AND ORCHESTRATION BUILD A SCALABLE FOUNDATION Many material handling technologies are becoming incredibly capable on their own. “The next challenge is integrating those technologies in a way that ensures information ows between them,” Schultz
SOLUTIONS FOR NARROW WAREHOUSE AISLES The rise in ecommerce is boosting product volume and variety, forcing many warehouses to use space as ef ciently as possible. One solution is to narrow the aisles. However, this can lead to damage from equipment as it travels through increasingly tight spaces. To help address this, Raymond Corporation is enhancing the technology suite for its automated swing reach trucks, which are already designed for narrow aisles, says Shawn Donahue, product marketing manager of automation. A camera mounted on the truck can help it determine what it’s seeing, such as a pallet, as well as the pallet’s size and dimensions. As a result, when the automated
guided vehicle (AGV) picks up the item, it’s less likely to have any unintended contact with the shelves or racking. If human intervention is required, a remote operator can assist the AGV. Over time, the algorithm will learn from these situations, so it can handle more potential problems without asking for help. “With fewer interventions, things can move faster,” Donahue says. The enhanced technology suite is not yet commercially available.
140 Inbound Logistics • July 2026
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