Avidbots Autonomy for Grocery Stores
Grocery stores present unique challenges for cleaning robots compared with other environments. By design, commercial facilities encourage people and commerce — not floor scrubbing — to happen as efficiently as possible.
Floor layouts are temporary and ever-changing, human traffic is persistent and unpredictable, and operating hours limit the downtime available for thorough cleaning. These factors and more challenge many robots’ autonomy and navigation systems.
In the wake of breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, machine learning and sensor technology, Avidbots Autonomy is redefining what cleaning robots can accomplish in dynamic retail spaces such as grocery stores.
Advanced Dynamic Planning
Avidbots takes a unique approach compared with many commercial floor scrubbers. Rather than using only the routes an operator has taught them, the robot can make real-time decisions, thanks to Advanced Dynamic Planning, which allows it to keep up with alterations to the environment and adapt when objects such as end caps move or seasonal layouts change.
As a result, our robots are problem-solvers, eliminating the need for manual intervention and saving staff valuable time and effort. Advanced Dynamic Planning is possible because of a series of cutting-edge capabilities: Temporary Object Mapping, Automatic Exploration for Retail, Retail-Paths and Complex Detours.
Temporary Object Mapping
A key part of any cleaning robot deployment involves the mapping process. Avidbots specialists tailor the robot’s cleaning plans to your space.
Temporary Object Mapping identifies and classifies permanent areas and objects. It also does the same for moveable ones such as floor bins, aisle displays and seasonal areas, which we group separately and add into the plan. This extra step means that our robots understand the difference and treat the two groups accordingly.
When temporary objects move — a common occurrence in grocery stores — Avidbots’ robots don’t get lost or confused, or stop cleaning entirely. This creates a more comprehensive and flexible plan, adjusting to the situation on the ground and improving the robot’s overall productivity and efficiency.
1. Automatic Exploration for Retail
Avidbots robots remap each sector by themselves before they begin to clean, doing a quick tour around the area. During this process, the robot peeks around corners, peers into aisles and scans its surroundings. We call this Automatic Exploration, and it helps identify potential obstacles before they become an issue.
With an extensive sensor suite, our robots compare what they’re seeing with the reference plan to decide the best route to take. The result is a “fresh map” that flags obstacles the robot needs to work around, as well as aisles and areas that the robot should avoid — no handholding required.
Unlike most approaches that rely on a static, unchanging map of your space, our robots rely on up-to-date data to optimize their performance within your ever-changing environment. As a result, Avidbots robots avoid problem areas and don’t get stuck.
2. Retail-Paths
Avidbots robots excel in retail spaces with lots of aisles, but they’re just as comfortable in other commercial spaces, too.
Avidbots experts have the freedom to define cleaning “zones” such that our robots aren’t limited by tight turns, defined routes or U-turns that can trouble other options on the market. Our solution provides the flexibility to weave in and out of aisles to create a more fluid path. In tighter environments where traditional planning approaches used by other robots result in slowdowns, stops and even water spills, our advanced autonomy solution allows our robots to avoid these problems, ensuring consistent, elevated productivity.
3. Seasonal Feature Management
Avidbots understands that grocery environments are constantly updating their floor space to enhance the shopping experience. Holiday-themed sales, promotional events, new product launches and more versatile floor layouts help retailers manage traffic flows, optimize product placement and boost sales.
Avidbots Autonomy’s Seasonal Feature Management keeps up with your seasonal changes. Unlike other options on the market, there’s no need to reteach the robot when you rearrange or reconfigure displays, shelving, kiosks and more.
Using information from your robot’s cleaning reports, Avidbots experts can automatically update maps to meet your seasonal needs. A key feature of the Avidbots Autonomy solution, this white-glove service is available whenever you need it. Your robot stays up to date with changes, reducing downtime and remaining operational even when you make seasonal updates.
4. Complex Detours
Stores are living, breathing spaces that reflect the movement and activity of shoppers and staff. Each moment of every day presents a new scenario, with workers and customers completing varying tasks, often alongside one another.
Under these circumstances, a robot must get creative to keep up with changes to the environment. That’s why Avidbots robots can execute Complex Detours, adapting on the fly and working around changes and obstacles as they arise. Rather than calling for help, Neo and Kas display a level of autonomy that lets store staff focus on more important work.