Global robotics landscape · Family 05
Warehouse and logistics robots
From AMRs and goods-to-person systems to robotic picking and fleet software: evaluate the fulfilment system, exceptions and operating zone together.
FUURAA thesis
Warehouse robotics succeeds through flow orchestration and exception handling, not vehicle autonomy in isolation.
How to use this page
Move from what it is to how to judge it—without being misled by one specification or demo.
Separate embodiment, sensing, control, tooling and operations.
Open in-depth topic →02WorkRead value through the complete task and environment, not movement alone.
Open in-depth topic →03EvidenceTest claims with repeatable metrics, failures and human intervention.
Open in-depth topic →04BoundaryKeep standards, regulation, site and research-stage limits visible.
Open in-depth topic →System anatomy
A working robot is the result of several engineering layers holding together.
Each layer explains its job and the signal most worth verifying next.
Mobile platform
Drive, braking, localisation, obstacle detection, battery and load interface define safe movement.
Open in-depth topic →02Storage and handling
Racks, totes, conveyors, lifts and robotic picking determine physical flow and bottlenecks.
Open in-depth topic →03Fleet and orchestration software
Task allocation, traffic control, charging, WMS/WES integration and observability govern system throughput.
Open in-depth topic →04Human operations
Pick stations, pedestrian routes, replenishment, maintenance and exception teams complete the operating design.
Open in-depth topic →Real-work map
Form factor is an entry point; the complete workflow is the unit of value.
These are not capability guarantees; they frame the task boundaries and evidence a reader should seek.
Goods to person
Mobile storage can reduce walking while shifting value to station design, inventory accuracy and replenishment discipline.
Open in-depth topic →02Transport and tugging
Point-to-point moves are often tractable when interfaces, traffic rules and exception ownership are explicit.
Open in-depth topic →03Picking and sortation
Item diversity, presentation, grasp verification and reject handling determine real pick performance.
Open in-depth topic →04Truck loading and unloading
Changing trailer, parcel and stacking conditions make edge cases central rather than exceptional.
Open in-depth topic →Evaluation checklist
Five questions turn product claims into testable deployment judgements.
Procurement, replication, pilot design and policy review should record success, failure and human cost together.
- 01
End-to-end throughput
Measure completed order lines through the bottleneck, not isolated vehicle speed.
Open in-depth topic → - 02
Exception rate
Classify blocked paths, bad scans, damaged goods, failed picks and manual recoveries.
Open in-depth topic → - 03
Peak resilience
Validate surges, seasonal mix changes, network degradation and partial equipment loss.
Open in-depth topic → - 04
Safety zone
Assess crossings, blind corners, docks, falling loads, emergency access and foreseeable pedestrian behaviour.
Open in-depth topic → - 05
Lifecycle economics
Include facility changes, software integration, support, batteries, spares, training and vendor exit options.
Open in-depth topic →
Scope boundaries
Make explicit what is unknown and what cannot be generalised.
- 01
An AMR navigation demo does not establish fulfilment throughput or safe coexistence at peak load.
Open in-depth topic → - 02
Site preparation and operating-zone conditions materially affect safety and performance.
Open in-depth topic → - 03
Vendor-reported fleets may combine very different robot types and definitions; compare like with like.
Open in-depth topic →
Sources and evidence status
Return to the original record before deciding how far a conclusion can travel.
Each source carries a publication or review date, evidence status and the conclusion it cannot support alone.
ISO 3691-4:2023 — Driverless industrial trucks and their systems
Specifies safety requirements and verification for AGVs, AMRs and related driverless truck systems.
ISO 10218-1:2025 — Safety requirements for industrial robots
Defines safety requirements for the robot as partly completed machinery; integration and application risks sit with the complete cell under Part 2.