Plus One Robotics Inc. yesterday said that it will demonstrate its parcel-handling robots for warehouses and distribution centers at ProMat 2023 in Chicago in March. The company said its exhibit will enable visitors to use a virtual reality headset to “race against the robot” in a pick-and-place process.
Founded in 2016, Plus One Robotics said it combines computer vision, artificial intelligence, and supervised autonomy to pick parcels for Global 100 logistics and e-commerce businesses. The San Antonio, Texas-based company claimed that it provides “the fastest and most reliable parcel-handling robotics platform in the world.”
Plus One has offices in Boulder, Colo.; Pittsburgh; and the Netherlands.
Sensors, grippers, and software automate picking
Plus One Robotics' platform includes its Pick One parcel-induction system and “Human-in-the-Loop” (HITL) remote supervisor software. PickOne employs 3D sensors and AI vision software with patent-pending grippers to optimize the high-volume picking and placing of mixed parcels, bags, and products.
HITL allows remote staffers to supervise multiple robots from any location, guiding the robot in how to handle exceptions. The AI system learns from this intervention to further improve its capabilities if similar situations occur in the future, helping to minimize downtime and enable 24/7 fulfillment, said Plus One.
The company added that its products perform over 1 million parcel picks each day in production and currently hold an industry-leading metric of a half-billion parcel picks globally.
Plus One to exhibit, present at ProMat 2023
Plus One Robotics will demonstrate its technologies with VR at Booth N7921 at ProMat 2023.
In addition, Daniel Grollman, an engineer at Plus One, will present a seminar on Tuesday, March 31, at 10:15 am in the Robotics Theater titled “More Parcels, More Problems – Mitigating Parcel Variability with a Symbiotic Human-AI Vision System.”
In this session, Dr. Grollman will discuss the long-tailed and shifting distribution of parcels in fulfillment and distribution centers. He will also explain how businesses can use an adaptable, symbiotic human-AI vision system to address the realities of volume and variability.
Based on the assumption of change, rather than the anticipation of control, humans and AI working together can handle infinite variety as it occurs, according to Grollman.