The Adept Courier brings the latest in robotics research & development to the everyday task of moving goods, materials, samples, or parts around a warehouse or production environment. Using its patented, self-driving, capabilities the Adept Courier finds its own way to a new destination, drives around obstacles in its path, and sets up in only hours for a fast return on investment.

This capability results from robotics research conducted since 1995 at the New Hampshire company, Mobile Robots, which Adept had acquired in 2010. Given the combination of fast-moving research and technology for autonomous navigation software, and Adept’s track-record for delivering long-lasting robotic hardware, together these teams aim to create high quality products that allow robots and small self-driving vehicles to do meaningful work in office and industrial environments.

In a climate of decreasing margins, increased demand, and accelerated yield curves; the requirement for thinking “lean” across all operations has become imperative for day-to-day activities within all businesses environments. In the instance of manufacturing, “tracked” solutions, such as conveyors or Autonomous Guided Vehicles (AGVs), do not provide optimized movement on a production floor nor allow for applying lean methodologies across all areas of a business operation. The Adept Courier enables all types of businesses to apply automation for business improvement centered on preserving value with less work. The Adept Courier addresses lean methodologies in the following ways:

• Allows employees to focus on their most valuable responsibilities by mitigating time away from their task-at-hand.
• Moves smaller amounts of work-in-process, more frequently, for a higher resolution in production flow.
• Allows for samples to be sent regularly to satellite areas, such as quality labs.
• Relocate warehouse spaces to more ideal locations and free up valuable floor space.
• Enable traceability for all activities in production to generate reports.
• Increases delivery frequency 24/7 with low operating costs.
• Increases staff efficiency with a run-time of 11 hours per day.

Adept Technology introduces point-to-point navigation as the key technical differentiator between an Adept Courier and a contemporary Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV). Adept’s navigation software uses on-board visual sensors for flexible self-driving, dynamic re-routing around obstacles, and is a new paradigm in the navigation and localization of vehicles inside facilities. The Adept Courier is small enough to fit through doorways, works safely in close proximity to people, has been deployed in existing facilities with no additional renovation, logged millions of miles of autonomous navigation, and offers a near-infinite level of automated logistical configurations. Just-In-Time delivery of goods might seem like an elusive target, but the Adept courier behaves in a manner similar to, but more predictable than, the manual material handling solutions often seen today. Product features include:

• Easy to Install
• Assure immediate productivity with little setup time required.
• No facility changes required; operational routes are quickly programmed and easily modified.
• Single-unit installations have no need for central computer control.
• Works well in Peopled Environments and Tight Hallways
• Uses laser guidance to assure obstacle avoidance and human safety.
• Turns on its axis and navigates down narrow hallways.
• Responds to signals from wireless push buttons affixed to workstations or rooms.
• Material Handling with Less Effort Required.
• Option to secure materials with a storage container equipped with an electronic lock.
• Performs both scheduled and on-demand delivery of up to 50lbs.
• Automatic return to charging dock when not in use.

SOURCE: Adept