Gartner Hype Cycle reveals fast-growing market for advanced mobile robots for supply chains

Several mobile robotics technologies for supply chains will mature over the next two to five years, creating an accelerating market for mobile robots and increasingly capable drones, according to the report Gartner, Inc..

The Hype Cycle for Mobile Robots and Drones gartner's is a graphical representation of a common pattern that emerges with each new technology or other innovation, through five phases of maturity and adoption. Supply chain directors can use this research to find robotic solutions that meet their needs.

Technologies that have passed through the Valley of Disillusionment and they are progressing in the Information Ladeira they include autonomous mobile robots for transportation, collaborative robots for separating products in corridors, and mobile robotic systems for goods for people. Progress indicates that the benefits of these technologies are becoming more widely understood.

“As companies seek to further improve logistics operations, support automation and increase human capabilities across diverse functions, supply chain leaders have turned to mobile robots to support their” strategies, he says Dwight Klappich, Vice President and Analyst at Gartner.“Mobile robots continue to evolve, becoming more powerful and practical, thus paving the way for continuous technological innovation.”

Expansion of the use of automation and systems with Artificial Intelligence

This year, automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions, such as autonomous data collection and inspection technologies, are growing and approaching the data collection phase Peak Expectations Inflated, being expected to deliver benefits in the next five to ten years.

Leveraging indoor flying drones and mobile robots to autonomously capture data, the solutions use technologies such as AI-enabled vision or Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) to complement time-consuming inventory management, inspection and surveillance tasks.The technology can also alleviate safety concerns in warehouses, such as workers counting inventory in hard-to-reach places.

“Automating labor-intensive tasks can provide remarkable” benefits, adds Klappich.“With AI capabilities increasingly embedded in mobile robots and drones, the potential to operate independently and adapt to environments will make it possible to support an increasing number of use cases

Humanoid robots demonstrate potential for greater automation

This year, the humanoid robots entered the phase of  Innovation Actor hype Cycle and are expected to have a transformational impact on the supply chain.However, mass adoption can take 10 years or more.

Exploring the human format and driven by AI, This generation of humanoid robots is seeking to achieve human workforce adaptability by flexibly supporting business needs by dynamically moving between processes and taking on new activities without the need for special programming.

“For supply chains with high-volume, predictable processes, humanoid robots have the potential to improve or complement the workforce of the” supply chain, notes Klappich.“However, while the pace of innovation is encouraging, the industry is years away from the widespread use of humanoid robots in more complex retail and industrial environments.”