FedEx, the renowned transportation service provider, and Dexterity, a company specializing in robotics technology, have joined forces to simplify truck loading. They have done this by introducing the DexR, a mobile AI robot with two arms that can identify and sort packages of different sizes. This can be viewed like a game of Tetris, with the robot arranging the packages to make the best use of the truck’s loading volume.
Loading trucks presents a significant challenge in parcel centers. The wide range of package sizes, shapes as well as packaging materials makes manual loading a complex task. This problem is now solved by the DexR robot. Equipped with two arms, the robot can pick up and stow cartons simultaneously, helping to speed up the loading process. Thanks to path and motion planning, the robot avoids its arms coming into conflict or bumping into the walls of the trailer.
The robot’s mobility allows it to autonomously navigate to the back of trucks and interface with a package conveyor system. Cameras and lidar sensors are built into the robot to detect the packages and determine their size and texture. A connected artificial intelligence system uses this data to determine how best to use the cargo space and structure the parcel walls. According to Dexterity, this process is completed in less than 500 milliseconds. Moreover, the system learns with each subsequent loading process. In the event of an incorrect arrangement of the packages, the system corrects itself, recalculates and sorts the packages again.
The DexR also has force sensors that give it a sense of touch and allow it to stack the packages more densely without damaging them. At the moment, FedEx is testing the DexR robot in a joint project with Dexterity.
FedEx and Dexterity aren’t the only ones betting on robotics. The online shipping company Amazon has also recognized the advantages of automation and is increasingly relying on the use of robots in its processes.
