A transport vehicle (2) that travels along a container shelf (1) is provided with a plurality of levels of shelf portions (11) arranged in a vertical direction (Z) and configured to support containers (W), thereby transporting the containers (W). The transport vehicle (2) is provided with a support region where a container (W) is supported, a first transfer apparatus (23) that inserts/takes the container (W) into/out of the container shelf (1), and a second transfer apparatus (24) that loads/unloads the container (W) on/from the support region. The second transfer apparatus (24) is configured such that a container (W) can be moved to the support region so as to allow a plurality of the containers (W) to be supported in a stacked state in the support region.

A materials handling vehicle includes a camera, odometry module, processor, and drive mechanism. The camera captures images of an identifier for a racking system aisle and a rack leg portion in the aisle. The processor uses the identifier to generate information indicative of an initial rack leg position and rack leg spacing in the aisle, generate an initial vehicle position using the initial rack leg position, generate a vehicle odometry-based position using odometry data and the initial vehicle position, detect a subsequent rack leg using a captured image, correlate the detected subsequent rack leg with an expected vehicle position using rack leg spacing, generate an odometry error signal based on a difference between the positions, and update the vehicle odometry-based position using the odometry error signal and/or generated mast sway compensation to use for end of aisle protection and/or in/out of aisle localization.

A loading system for loading and unloading cargo compartments of trucks includes chain conveyors positioned parallel or substantially parallel to one another and such that standard pallets can be moved back and forth on the chain conveyors in a conveying direction. An autonomous conveyor vehicle is provided as a component of the loading system, and the chain conveyors are positioned at a height above a floor so that the conveyor vehicle with vertically movable pallet fork assemblies can be positioned below the chain conveyors.

A mobile robot includes a non-inverted pendulum body hereafter referred to as NPB with at least one pivot axis and this pivot axis divides the NPB into two portions. One portion of the NPB contains the center of mass of the NPB that can have structures to carry external payloads. The second portion of the NPB can have one or more manipulator arm and vision units. On the pivot axis is disposed at least one leg rotatabily coupled to the NPB. The other end of the leg has a foot joint on which is disposed a drive wheel or a foot. With additional degrees of freedom for each leg the robot can move similar to humanoids, be able to carry and sustain heavy loads with minimal leg joint torques and/or manipulate heavy loads and forces with self-compensating mass of the NPB while using minimal leg joint torques.

A pallet position detection apparatus is provided. The detection apparatus and method checks information on a pallet disposed on a vehicle by recognizing an Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag or a Quick Response (QR) code attached to the truck, and recognizes an exact position of the pallet by detecting a reflector positioned on the pallet by a Lidar sensor, and unloads the pallet from the truck using an unmanned forklift vehicle based on the recognized position of the pallet.

A system includes a platform having an upper surface and defining a recess having a floor, the recess configured to seat a dish, and a movable securing frame that is movably connected with the platform, the frame including a lift support having an upper surface that is movable along a path from a first location that is beneath the floor of the recess, through the recess, to a second location that is coplanar with the upper surface of the platform. A motor configured to cause oscillation of the platform and the movable securing frame can be used. A method of using the system can include placing a dish above a recess defined by an upper surface of a platform, and lowering the frame with respect to the platform, thereby seating the dish within the recess.

A system includes a platform having an upper surface and defining a recess having a floor, the recess configured to seat a dish, and a movable securing frame that is movably connected with the platform, the frame including a lift support having an upper surface that is movable along a path from a first location that is beneath the floor of the recess, through the recess, to a second location that is coplanar with the upper surface of the platform. A motor configured to cause oscillation of the platform and the movable securing frame can be used. A method of using the system can include placing a dish above a recess defined by an upper surface of a platform, and lowering the frame with respect to the platform, thereby seating the dish within the recess.

Systems and methods provide assistance to an operator of a material handling vehicle. Provided systems and methods include receiving vehicle condition data at a first material handling vehicle from a second material handling vehicle when the second material handling vehicle is within a predetermined communication range, determining a first predicted vehicle position for the first material handling vehicle based on current vehicle conditions, determining a second predicted vehicle position for the second material handling vehicle based on the received vehicle condition data, and determining if the first predicted vehicle position for the first material handling vehicle overlaps with the second predicted vehicle position for the second material handling vehicle. Upon the determination that the first predicted vehicle position overlaps with the second predicted vehicle position, the operator of the first material handling vehicle is provided an indication.

Described herein are systems and methods for ordering item-movement tasks in storage facilities. Item-movement tasks are distributed amongst queues of operators in a first state of the queues. A first value indicating utilization based on the operators performing the queues in the first state is determined. A first task from a first queue is swapped with a second task from a second queue, forming a second state of the queues, such that the first queue to be performed by a first operator includes the second task and the second queue to be performed by a second operator includes the first task. A second value indicating utilization based on the operators performing the queues having the second state is determined. Based on determining that utilization is greater when the queues have the first state, the first task is swapped with the second task to revert the queues to the first state.

A system for controlling a forklift truck has several operating modes and allows, in particular, operation in manual mode or autonomous mode. A forklift truck is provided with such a control system.