As mobile robots and drones mature, supply chains are set for accelerated adoption of these technologies. With a focus on implementing artificial intelligence (AI) and automation across logistics operations, the future of supply chain management is poised for significant transformation.
Mobile Robotics Technologies Maturing in the Next 2-5 Years
According to Gartner’s Hype Cycle for Mobile Robots and Drones, several mobile robotics technologies are set to mature over the next two to five years. These include collaborative in-aisle picking robots, light-cargo delivery robots, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for transport, mobile robotic goods-to-person systems, and robotic cube storage systems. As organizations aim to improve logistic operations and support automation, mobile robots are becoming an integral part of their strategy.
Rising Technologies: Autonomous Data Collection and Inspection
Technologies on the rise include autonomous data collection and inspection technologies, expected to deliver benefits over the next five to ten years. These include indoor-flying drones that utilize AI-enabled vision or RFID to assist with inventory management, inspection, and surveillance tasks. Automating labor-intensive tasks can provide notable benefits, and with AI capabilities increasingly embedded in mobile robots and drones, the potential to function unaided and adapt to environments will support a growing number of use cases.
While humanoid robots, resembling the human body in shape, are still years away from being used in complex retail and industrial environments, they are expected to have a transformational effect on supply chains. The pace of innovation is encouraging, and for supply chains with high-volume and predictable processes, humanoid robots have the potential to enhance or supplement the supply chain workforce.
