Robots programmed with team spirit
Developed by scientists at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the University of Freiburg, in cooperation with ten industry partners, the Karis Pro robots are designed to move boxes, shelves, and pallets in manufacturing plants, warehouses and distribution centres. Each robot can load and unload material, plan and navigate its path, and quickly adjust to avoid obstacles, including humans who may step into their path.
Based on a "swarm intelligence" model, the robots maintain constant communication to achieve their collective goals. Like worker ants, the Karis Pro robots are strong as individuals, but become even stronger when they work together. Each robot can carry a load of up to 250 kg, but by teaming up, four units can easily move a one tonne load.
Intralogistics keep smart factories moving along smoothly
Intralogistics are the logistics of operations inside a facility, like smart factories and warehouses. In a paper published in 2009, the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), defined a standard for how a smart factory should operate. So-called "cellular transport systems" are central to this model. The idea is to create a team of autonomous worker modules, like the Karis Pro robots, that can cooperate as needed to complete tasks.
The robots and automated devices working together in smart facilities communicate in the cloud via various radio technologies, including Wi-Fi, ZigBee, and increasingly, the NB-IOT standard. The individual "cells" can work as a team by sharing data on status and location (commonly tracked with Bluetooth and RFID sensors), planned transportation route, and what task should be completed next, as scheduled by the central organising system.
The Karis Pro robots easily adapt to each required task
To make adjustments easier, the Karis Pro team is ready to adapt without the need for centralised reprogramming. The robots can adjust to new facility layouts and workflows by constantly scanning their environment with lasers. This eliminates the need for guidelines on the floor and special markers on objects, as commonly used with interlogistic robot systems.
Putting the Karis Pro to work
Practical tests of ten Karis Pro robots working in tandem have been successful, while in simulations, researchers have operated several hundred units at once. With a "plug and play" approach, new robots can be gradually added to a system as needed, making it easier for smaller firms to adopt the system.
The Karis Pro system has already been tested at facilities run by Bosch and Audi Sport, where the robots were able to fit right in. By contributing to increased productivity and safety within facilities, the Karis Pro robots are sure to be welcomed by human teammates.