FEATURE Robotics
(Below, left) Craig McDonnell from ABB Robotics
and has integrated their vision capability into its range of Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs). Vision, together with other advances including AI and enhanced dexterity, are hands, brains and mobility”, mirroring the enhanced levels of endurance, precision and adaptability. Technologies such as visual simultaneous localisation and mapping (VSLAM) can be used to navigate warehouses, identify obstacles, and optimise travel routes without manual intervention. According accuracy is down to +/-5mm now, so the robot doesn’t get lost or stranded in the corner of the warehouse. They also know how to react to a person versus a pallet; once this has been optimised, you can improve availability.”
Opening up new opportunities through enhanced autonomy and versatility ABB Robotics has described Autonomous
Versatile Robotics as writing the next chapter in automation. McDonnell says the company is well-placed to be part of this evolution, with a range that encompasses collaborative robots designed to work in tandem with people, to industrial robots designed for speed and productivity, with the next step being intelligent, mobile robots. Through AVR, ABB Robotics is advancing a new generation of robots capable of perceiving their surroundings through AI vision, responding to spoken instructions, and re-planning tasks autonomously. Six core capabilities underpin ABB’s vision for Autonomous Versatile Robotics, combining attributes including: advanced AI vision, precision, speed, dexterity and mobility, for heightened real-world productivity and
ABB Robotics’ development of AI enhanced robotics is set to advance even further with the divestment of the division from the wider group to SoftBank Group, a Japanese multinational technology
conglomerate and investment holding company. Once the deal closes, it is anticipated that the acquisition will accelerate SoftBank’s “Physical AI” vision by combining ABB’s industrial robotics AI-driven software, hardware, engineering expertise, and global customer base with SoftBank’s broader portfolio of AI and robotics investments, as part of its long-term strategy to develop intelligent autonomous systems.
And to address the potential concerns that intelligent robots such as AVRs will displace jobs, McDonnell adds: “The future of logistics isn’t about replacing people. It’s about empowering them with automation that learns, adapts, and performs safely in the real world, freeing them to be more productive in higher-value areas.” As we head into 2026, ABB Robotics looks set to lead the transformation of warehousing from static automation toward intelligent, autonomous logistics systems.
ABB Robotics
www.abb.com/global/en/areas/robotics
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