How many robots does it take to run a grocery store?

If you said 20 years ago robots would run a grocery store most people would have looked at you and walked away. Robots are throughout the supply chain and continue to increase. Here’s an overview of how robots are used in this process and the broader implications of robotic grocery picking:

1. Automated Order Picking

At the heart of systems is an automated order-picking system. Here’s how it typically works:

Inventory Storage: Groceries are stored in a high-density grid or automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS). Products are organized in a way that optimizes storage space and retrieval time. In Ocado’s case, this means crates of products are stored in a large, 3D grid structure.
Robots for Picking: A fleet of robots (often referred to as bots) move across the grid on a series of tracks, retrieving items from shelves. These robots are equipped with sophisticated cameras, sensors, and AI to locate products quickly and accurately. In Ocado’s model, each robot moves in a coordinated way to ensure that the right items are pulled for a specific order.
Human Collaboration: Although robots perform the picking, humans might still be involved in packing and checking the final orders. However, this could change as technology advances with the potential for fully autonomous systems.
Speed & Efficiency: The main advantage of robots is their speed and the ability to work 24/7, increasing the efficiency of fulfilling orders. They can pick items in a fraction of the time it would take a human employee, and with fewer errors. Ocado’s robots are known to pick up to 50,000 items per hour in some of their warehouses.

2. Types of Robots and Technologies Involved

There are a few types of technologies and robots that play a key role in this system:

Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs): These are the bots that navigate the grid and pick items. They are typically equipped with cameras, sensors, and machine learning software to understand the layout of the warehouse and find items in real-time.
Robotic Arms: Some systems may also use robotic arms to pick or move items into containers for packing. These are usually more common in specialized areas of the warehouse or for certain product types (e.g., fragile items or fresh produce).
Conveyor Systems: Once the robots pick the orders, conveyor belts or automated systems carry the items to a packing station. These systems help streamline the process and reduce human intervention.
AI and Machine Learning: Behind all of this is software that helps manage the robots, optimize order picking, and ensure smooth operation. AI helps with real-time decision-making, like rerouting robots or handling unexpected challenges like out-of-stock items or misplaced products.

3. Benefits of Robotic Grocery Picking

Speed & Scalability: Robots can work around the clock without breaks, which drastically increases order fulfillment speed, especially for large volumes.
Accuracy: Robots, with their precise programming, make fewer mistakes than human workers, leading to fewer errors in picking the wrong items.
Cost Efficiency: Over time, the initial investment in robotics can be offset by reduced labor costs, particularly for repetitive tasks.
Space Optimization: The automated systems are often more compact and efficient at utilizing space than traditional warehouses, allowing grocery retailers to store more products in less physical space.
Labor Saving: By automating the picking process, stores can reduce the need for human workers to pick and organize groceries, although there may still be a need for staff in packing and quality control.

4. Challenges & Considerations

Initial Investment: Setting up these automated systems can be very costly. The infrastructure, software, and robots themselves require significant upfront investment.
Product Variety: Not all products are easy to pick with automation, particularly irregularly shaped items or fresh produce. While some systems, like Ocado’s, are highly advanced, others may struggle with more delicate or perishable items.
Maintenance & Downtime: While robots are generally reliable, they do need regular maintenance, and any system downtime can be costly in high-demand environments like grocery fulfillment.
Human Touch: For now, robots can’t handle everything. For example, some stores may still need human workers for delicate tasks, such as picking fresh fruit or ensuring quality control.

5. Examples of Robotic Grocery Systems

Ocado: As you’ve mentioned, Ocado is one of the leaders in the robotic grocery space. They have partnered with several large retailers to build highly automated warehouses for order fulfillment, with their robots working in dense grids to pick items at high speed.
Amazon Fresh: Amazon uses robots for their grocery operations, particularly in their automated fulfillment centers. Their systems are similar in function, using AGVs and other automation technologies to streamline order picking.
Walmart and Kroger: These companies have started exploring robotic automation in their fulfillment centers. Walmart, for instance, has experimented with automation in its supply chain, and Kroger has rolled out automated grocery fulfillment centers in partnership with robotics firms.
Farmdrop: A UK-based online grocery service, has also employed automated picking systems for local grocery deliveries.

6. Future of Robotic Grocery Picking

Integration with AI & Robotics: As AI becomes even more sophisticated, the ability of robots to handle complex, variable tasks (like picking fresh produce or understanding customer preferences) will improve.
Fully Autonomous Warehouses: The dream for many retailers is to create a fully autonomous warehouse where robots pick, pack, and ship items with minimal human intervention. We’re seeing pilot projects, and some, like Ocado, are moving closer to that reality.
Drone Delivery: Some companies are also testing drones for last-mile delivery, adding another layer to the future of robotic grocery services.

Robotic systems for order picking in grocery stores are already a reality, and as the technology advances, the entire supply chain from farm to table could become even more automated, transforming the grocery experience for both consumers and businesses alike.

Robots, Automation and Innovation

Robot and Automation Quotes

“For the blue-collar worker, the driving force behind change was factory automation using programmable machine tools. For the office worker, it’s office automation using computer technology: enterprise-resource-planning systems, groupware, intranets, extranets, expert systems, the Web, and e-commerce.” ~Tom Peters
“Machine learning will automate jobs that most people thought could only be done by people.” ~Dave Waters
“Jobs for every American is doomed to failure because of modern automation and production. We ought to recognize it and create an income-maintenance system so every single American has the dignity and the wherewithal for shelter, basic food, and medical care. I’m talking about welfare for all. Without it, you’re going to have warfare for all.” ~Jerry Brown
“Sometime in the next 40 years, robots are going to take your job. I don’t care what your job is. If you dig ditches, a robot will dig them better. If you’re a magazine writer, a robot will write your articles better. If you’re a doctor, IBM’s Watson will no longer “assist” you in finding the right diagnosis from its database of millions of case studies and journal articles. It will just be a better doctor than you.” ~Kevin Drum
“Labor accounts for 75% of the cost of transporting shipments by truck, so adopters can begin to realize those savings. Beyond that, while truckers are prohibited from driving more than 11 hours per day without taking an eight-hour break, a driverless truck can drive for the entire day.” ~Ryan Petersen
“I know a lot about artificial intelligence, but not as much as it knows about me.” ~Dave Waters.
“Robotics, once the almost exclusive purview of science fiction, is now approaching a point at which it will be capable of dramatic influence over humanity. These advancements are as much a lesson in caution as in the wonder of the human imagination.” ~Nate Church