Not only must supply chain automation providers scale up to meet accelerated e-commerce and industrial demand, but they must also continue innovating to differentiate their technologies and value propositions in an increasingly competitive market. This week, Seegrid Corp. announced that it had created the Blue Labs internal research and development group.
The Pittsburgh-based company provides autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), fleet management software, and consulting services. It said the new Blue Labs team will focus on emerging technologies and potential commercial applications in materials handling.
Todd Graves, chief technology officer at Seegrid answered questions from Robotics 24/7, including:
- Seegrid has been developing technology for some time, so why did it create Blue Labs now?
- What are some recent advances in materials handling technologies that you have seen? Where is more work needed?
- How many people will be dedicated to the new unit? Is it hiring?
- Will you be working with outside academic researchers?
- Are you looking at applying computer vision to things like piece picking or human-robot collaboration?
- What have Seegrid's customers said about the importance of innovation?
- The supply chain automation market is very competitive—how will Blue Labs help Seegrid be a leader?
- Do you have any milestones planned for Blue Labs in the coming months or year?
