Today’s episode of The Robot Report Podcast is a deep dive into warehouse automation. We discuss the role humanoids are hoping to play in logistics, including how GXO is testing the Digit humanoid from Agility Robotics. We also discuss the state of mobile robots with John Santagate, Vice President of Robotics at Körber Supply Chain. We also talk about artificial intelligence and the growth of picking robots with Peter Chen, Co-Founder and CEO of Covariant.
Of course, the big news of the week is that GXO, the world’s largest pure-play contract logistics provider, is testing Digit at a warehouse in Georgia for the global womenswear brand Spanx. In the pilot, Digit is moving totes off of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and onto a conveyor. The AMRs, which appear to be Chucks from 6 River Systems, bring the packed totes to a transfer station. Digit then uses its perception system to detect the AMR has arrived.
Episode timeline
17:17 — Interview with John Santagate, Vice President of Robotics at Körber Supply Chain
1:01:02 — Interview with Peter Chen, Co-Founder and CEO, Covariant
RBR50 Submissions
As a reminder, we’re now looking for submissions for our annual RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards. For more than a decade, the RBR50 has recognized the most innovative and influential organizations in the robotics industry. The deadline for submissions is Monday, Jan. 15, 2024. Submit your nomination here.
We’ve added some new categories this year, including Robot of the Year, Startup of the Year, and Application of the Year. All the winners will be honored during an awards gala at the 2024 Robotics Summit & Expo, which takes place May 1-2 in Boston.
Speaking of the Robotics Summit & Expo, our call for speakers ends on Dec. 15. This is our flagship event for commercial robotics developers, and we’re anticipating 5,000-plus attendees. Apply today and help engineer the future of robotics.
