The present disclosure is directed to a pallet assembly, sorting robot and warehouse logistics system. The pallet assembly includes a flap assembly including a first flap and a second flap. The flap assembly has a first state in which the first flap and the second flap are coplanar so as to form a carrying surface for carrying goods, and a second state in which any one of the first flap and the second flap is turned over so as to make the goods slide off. A sorting robot including the pallet assembly and a warehouse logistics system including the sorting robot are also provided.

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for automated robotic sortation. In one embodiment, an example system may include a first robotic arm configured to grasp a moving object from a conveyor while the conveyor is in motion, a camera system configured to image objects moving on the conveyor, and a first scanner configured to scan machine-readable codes on objects moving on the conveyor. The system may be configured to sort objects from the conveyor using the first robotic arm based at least in part on an object destination.

An apparatus for classifying materials utilizing a vision system, which may implement an artificial intelligence system in order to identify or classify each of the materials, which may then be separated from a heap in a scrap yard into separate groups, such as other heaps, based on such an identification or classification. The artificial intelligence system may utilize a neural network, and be previously trained to recognize and classify certain types of materials.

A system for processing scrap material that includes a variable-power electromagnetic drum separator wherein shredded scrap material is placed in free fall at a position proximate the electromagnetic drum separator. A first fraction of the scrap material is attracted to the electromagnetic drum separator and is carried under the rotational axis of the electromagnetic drum separator thereby separating the first fraction of material from a second fraction of the material which continues to free fall and wherein the first fraction is a low-copper ferrous material with the second fraction having a higher non-ferrous content than the first fraction. A magnetic drum separator may be positioned upstream of the variable-power electromagnetic drum separator and be used to separate non-ferrous materials. The variable-power electromagnetic drum separator may be adjusted so that the second fraction includes some ferrous material. A robotic picker may be used to remove undesirable materials from the second fraction.

Methods, apparatus, computing devices, computing entities, and/or the like associated with a robotic sortation system are provided. An example method may include receiving imaging data associated with a first item at a first sorting location of a material handling system, determining a sorting destination for the first item based at least in part on the imaging data, determining a plurality of first-tier robotic devices and a plurality of second-tier robotic devices based at least in part on the first sorting location and the sorting destination, and generating a first sortation scheme for the first item.

A system includes an article supply location, wherein the article supply location includes a plurality of articles to be sorted, first and second transport vehicles, each having a first position in which an article is stowed about the vehicle and a second position in which the article is deposited into a proximal container. And a control system. The control system is configured to receive an order for a plurality of disparate articles, determine one destination container of a plurality of destination containers to direct the transport vehicle to deposit a selected article, direct the first transport vehicle to transport a selected article to the destination container and deposit the article by manipulation of the first transport vehicle from the first position to the second position for deposit of the selected article in the destination container.

Method for detecting containers which have fallen over and/or are damaged in a container mass flow, wherein the containers in the container mass flow are transported vertically on a transporter, wherein the container mass flow is captured as an image data stream using at least one camera, and wherein the image data stream is evaluated by an image processing unit, wherein the image data stream is evaluated by the image processing unit using a deep neural network in order to detect and locate the containers which have fallen over and/or are damaged.

Devices, systems, and methods for autonomously sorting dirty laundry articles into batched loads for washing are described. For example, an autonomous sorting system includes an enclosed channel including a stationary floor extending between an inlet end and an outlet end of the channel, a plurality of arms disposed in series along the enclosed channel for selectively grasping at least one of the plurality of deformable articles in sequence. The system includes an outlet orifice adjacent the outlet end through which each separated deformable article exits the enclosed channel upon release by the terminal gripper of the one of the plurality of arms, and one or more conveyors disposed adjacent the outlet end configured for receiving thereon a plurality of bins for collecting for washing together two or more articles of the plurality of deformable articles released through the outlet orifice having a common sensor-detected one or more characteristics.

A sorting system includes a control server, multiple sorting robots, and a sorting region. The sorting region is divided into multiple sub-regions. At least one supply station and multiple delivery openings are deployed in each sub-region. Delivery openings respectively correspond to paths. The control server determines, according to path information of an item to be sorted, a target delivery opening corresponding to a path of the item, determines, from the multiple sub-regions of the sorting region, a target sub-region in which the target delivery opening is located, and allocates a delivery task to a target sorting robot among the multiple sorting robots. In response to the delivery task, the target sorting robot acquires the item from the supply station where the item is located, carries the item to the target delivery opening in the target sub-region, and delivers the same.

An automated continuous or near-continuous system for sorting and combining varying density payloads comprises a buffer area including a work surface having a plurality of holes for storing a plurality of cups with weighed payloads, a shuttle, and scale system configured for weighing and near continuously or continuously delivering the plurality of cups with the payloads, to the buffer area, at least one robot provided within the buffer area, wherein the at least one robot is configured for picking a cup carrying a payload, from either one of the shuttle and scale system and the work surface, and transporting the payload from the cup into an accumulator. The at least one robot is configured for delivering one or more of the payloads into the accumulator to achieve a predetermined Target Weight Range (TWR).