This application describes fabric storage totes, as well as techniques for use of fabric totes in an infrastructure that uses mechanical systems to transport the fabric totes and/or access inventory items in the fabric totes. The fabric totes may include a fabric base and side walls, with a hardened material support structure. Additionally, the fabric totes may include two handles made of a substantially hard material. The fabric totes may be accessed and transported, manually and/or mechanically, via interaction with the handles.

A placement device may reduce the cost for placing an object when a placement destination, in which an object is placed, changes due to the addition of a placement destination. A placement device may: determine, upon receiving object information assigned to an object, as the placement destination in which the object is placed from among one or more placement destinations each having an assigned set value, the placement destination added most recently and assigned a set value larger than a characteristic value derived uniquely based on the object information; and change, when a placement destination is added, based on an available capacity representing the amount of objects that can be newly placed in the placement destinations, the set value assigned to at least one of the placement destinations such that the determined placement destination does not change to a placement destination other than the placement destination added last.

A placement device may reduce the cost for placing an object when a placement destination, in which an object is placed, changes due to the addition of a placement destination. A placement device may: determine, upon receiving object information assigned to an object, as the placement destination in which the object is placed from among one or more placement destinations each having an assigned set value, the placement destination added most recently and assigned a set value larger than a characteristic value derived uniquely based on the object information; and change, when a placement destination is added, based on an available capacity representing the amount of objects that can be newly placed in the placement destinations, the set value assigned to at least one of the placement destinations such that the determined placement destination does not change to a placement destination other than the placement destination added last.

The present invention concerns a method and system for sorting items comprising movable carriages (10) intended to transport the items, and connected to each other by a link (19), along a track having sections located at levels at different heights linked by ascending and descending slopes, a control system and drive units intended to move the carriages (10). Dedicated thrust units, separate from the drive units, are added on the slopes and are controlled individually by the control system so as to deliver a constant force in order to prevent the carriages (10) experiencing tension at the links (19, 20) as a result of the weight of the items and/or the carriages (10) present on the slopes.

An article transport facility is provided with a first control device that controls an article transport vehicle in a first area in which articles are transported, and a second control device that controls the article transport vehicle in a second area in which adjustment of the article transport vehicle is performed. Based on a withdrawal instruction from the first control device, an operation control portion of an article transport vehicle that needs adjustment causes the article transport vehicle to enter the second area, and a communication control portion that can perform exclusive wireless communication with the first control device and the second control device changes the communication destination to the second control device. In response to an adjustment instruction from the second control device, the operation control portion performs adjustment operations with use of the adjustment device and updates transport profile information in a profile storage portion, and then the communication control portion changes the communication destination to the first control device after updating is complete.

This application describes fabric storage totes, as well as techniques for use of fabric totes in an infrastructure that uses mechanical systems to transport the fabric totes and/or access inventory items in the fabric totes. The fabric totes may include a fabric base and side walls, with a hardened material support structure. Additionally, the fabric totes may include two handles made of a substantially hard material. The fabric totes may be accessed and transported, manually and/or mechanically, via interaction with the handles.

A method of processing objects is disclosed using a programmable motion device. The method includes the steps of acquiring an object from a plurality of mixed objects at an input area, perceiving identifying indicia in connection with the object, assigning an intermediate station to a destination location for the object responsive to the identifying indicia in connection with the object, and moving the acquired object toward the intermediate station.

An automated shuttle sorter is disclosed that includes a carriage that is movable from a load position at which the carriage may be loaded, and at least two destination locations into which any contents of the carriage may be provided from the carriage

An article transport facility is provided with a first control device that controls an article transport vehicle in a first area in which articles are transported, and a second control device that controls the article transport vehicle in a second area in which adjustment of the article transport vehicle is performed. Based on a withdrawal instruction from the first control device, an operation control portion of an article transport vehicle that needs adjustment causes the article transport vehicle to enter the second area, and a communication control portion that can perform exclusive wireless communication with the first control device and the second control device changes the communication destination to the second control device. In response to an adjustment instruction from the second control device, the operation control portion performs adjustment operations with use of the adjustment device and updates transport profile information in a profile storage portion, and then the communication control portion changes the communication destination to the first control device after updating is complete.

Techniques for performing automated device activation and managing access to a workspace are described herein. While operating in an activated state, a user device (e.g., a wearable device) may be configured to modify movements of various mobile components (e.g., mobile drive units, robotic arms, etc.) of the workspace by emitting signals that cause the mobile components to stop or reduce speed when in proximity of the user device. An access controller device (ACD) may be used to restrict and/or allow access to the workspace and to perform operations for activating a user device that is attempting access. The ACD may receive light emissions from the user device that may be used to initiate a process for activating the user device. When the ACD receives an indication that the user device is operating in the activated state, the ACD may execute operations for enabling access to the workspace.