A system and method for picking items from storage containers located in stacks within a grid-based storage system are described. The system can include a movable structural member, movable from a first position to a second position such that when in the second position it is possible for an operative to access at least one row of storage containers such that items can be manually picked therefrom.

When an article transport vehicle is used to collect articles from a plurality of storing units for storing the articles, an operator who has taken out an article from a storing unit is appropriately identified. The article transport vehicle includes: a traveler (11) that travels to set positions that are set in correspondence with a plurality of storing units (1) for storing the articles (B); a supporter (12) that supports the article (B) taken out from the storing unit (1) by an operator (M); and an identification information reader (4) that reads identification information (MID) of the operator (M). The identification information (MID) is held in an identification information holder (T) that is attached to a foot of the operator (M), and the identification information reader (4) is provided below the supporter (12) on a side (U2) on which the operator (M) puts the article (B) into the supporter (12).

Embodiments relate to a cart assembly having a lower deck, an upper deck, and a gantry. The lower deck has designated areas for empty containers and for filled containers. The gantry includes a gripper system configured to grab at least one container from the empty-container staging area and transport it to a receiving site, where a crop harvesting apparatus deposits a crop in the container. Once the container is filled, the gantry moves the filled container so as to position it within a filled-container staging area of the lower deck. The gripper system then releases the container. The process is continued while the cart assembly is transported throughout a crop harvesting facility to harvest crops.

An automated package Pickup and Receiving Station (PRS) (100) with autonomous ground vehicles (AGV) (18) are presented, which may be used to pick up, deliver and securely store packages (28), parcels, mail, prepared food, groceries or other items that may be placed in a tray, which may include an integrated container. A portal (10) facilitates loading of items into, and removal of items from, the PRS (100). Within the PRS (100), items (28) may be transported from source to destination on standardized trays (25), via a two-dimensional gantry (32) and an end of arm tool (22). The gantry (32) may be oriented for movement through a central corridor (21) in the PRS (100), with end of arm tool (22) adapted for pushing trays towards, or pulling trays from, either side of the gantry (32). Items may be stored on a tray (25) in internal shelving (20), or placed directly into an AGV (18), on either side of the PRS (100).

An autonomous robot vehicle includes a front side and an energy absorbing system. The front side includes a front bumper and a front face including a frame defining a cavity. The energy absorbing system includes an energy absorbing member mounted in the cavity of the frame, and an inflatable airbag. The energy absorbing member is configured to reduce impact on an object struck by the autonomous robot vehicle. The inflatable airbag is mounted on the front side of the autonomous robot vehicle such that when the inflatable airbag is deployed, the inflatable airbag is external to the autonomous robot vehicle.

A managing apparatus for positioning rental vehicles includes a memory storing instructions and a processor configured to execute the instructions to cause the managing apparatus to access model information and location information for a plurality of autonomous vehicles, receive a request including a delivery location and a chosen model for renting, select an autonomous vehicle of the chosen model from among the plurality of autonomous vehicles based on the model information, the location information, and the delivery location, instruct the selected autonomous vehicle to fully-autonomously or semi-autonomously travel to the delivery location, and instruct the selected autonomous vehicle to switch to manual operation mode at the delivery location for manual operation by a vehicle rental customer.

A pack wall carton selection and replenishment system comprising: a delivery cart with a delivery cart controller configured to receive information representing a replenishment shipping carton to be retrieved from a shipping carton supply area and delivered to a pack wall, provide for retrieving one or more shipping cartons from the shipping carton supply area, actuate a cart indicator assembly to identify a cart partition where to place the retrieved shipping cartons on the delivery cart, actuate a delivery cart indicator assembly to identify the replenishment shipping carton to be placed on the pack wall; and, a pack wall controller in communication with the delivery cart controller configured to receive an order item information, actuate a first pack wall indicator assembly to indicate a desired shipping carton to be used for packing an items represented by the order item information.

A hybrid modular storage fetching system is described. In an example implementation, the system may include a warehouse execution system adapted to generate a picking schedule for picking pick-to-cart and high-density storage items, and an AGV dispatching system adapted to dispatch a cart automated guided vehicle and a modular storage fetching automated guided vehicle based on the picking schedule. The cart automated guided vehicle may be adapted autonomously transport a carton through a pick-to-cart area and to a pick-cell station. The modular storage fetching automated guided vehicle may be adapted to synchronously autonomously transport a modular storage unit containing items to be placed in the cartons from a high-density storage area to the pick-cell station.

A hybrid modular storage fetching system is described. In an example implementation, an automated guided vehicle of the hybrid modular storage fetching system includes a drive unit that provides motive force to propel the automated guided vehicle within an operating environment. The automated guided vehicle may also include a container handling mechanism including an extender and a carrying surface, the container handling mechanism having three or more degrees of freedom to move the carrying surface along three or more axes. The container handling mechanism may retrieve an item from a first target shelving unit using the carrying surface and the three or more degrees of freedom and place the item on a second target shelving unit. The automated guided vehicle may also include a power source coupled to provide power to the drive unit and the container handling mechanism.

A variety of vehicle-based and warehouse-based solutions are provided to increase the adaptability, utility, and efficiency of materials handling vehicles in the warehouse environment, such as a goods storage and retrieval system, comprising a multilevel warehouse racking system, a mobile storage cart, a cart home position, and a materials handling vehicle disposed on a vehicle transit surface and comprising a fork carriage assembly, a navigation subsystem, a cart engagement subsystem, and one or more vehicular controllers to use the navigation subsystem to navigate the materials handling vehicle along the vehicle transit surface to a localized engagement position where the cart home position is within a cart engagement field of view, and use the cart engagement subsystem to engage the mobile storage cart in the cart home position with the fork carriage assembly.