Development of an RFID inventory robot (AdvanRobot)

Abstract

AdvanRobot proposes a new robot for inventorying and locating all the products inside a retail store without the need of installing any fixed infrastructure. The patent pending robot combines a laser-guided autonomous robotic base with a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) payload composed of several RFID readers and antennas, as well as a 3D camera. AdvanRobot is able not only to replace human operators, but to dramatically increase the efficiency and accuracy in providing inventory, while also adding the capacity to produce store maps and product location. Some important benefit of the inventory capabilities of AdvanRobot are the reduction in stock-outs, which can cause a drop in sales and are the most important source of frustration for customers; the reduction of the number of items per reference maximizing the number of references per square meter; and reducing the cost of capital due to overstocking 1, 7]. Another important economic benefit expected from the inventorying and location capabilities of the robot is the ability to efficiently prepare on-line orders from the closest store to the customer, allowing retailers to compete with the likes of Amazon (a.k.a. omnichannel retail). Additionally, the robot enables to: produce a 3D model of the store; detect misplaced items; and assist customers and staff in finding products (wayfinding). © 2017, Springer International Publishing AG.