With the advancement of technology and the evolution of automation, robotic systems and automated industrial advances continue to venture into new arenas. In some cases, global forces (such as the COVID pandemic) push to accelerate changes in production and supply chains. This trend is evident in the rapidly changing grocery retail space. On the consumer front, we see Amazon opening entirely automated brick and mortar grocery stores relying on smart grocery carts embedded with cameras and sensors. There is also a rise in shoppers opting for contact-less online ordering and delivery, resulting in more popularity for online apps such as FreshDirect and Instacart.

Meanwhile, on the back-end, retailers are finding additional ways to be efficient through technology, most notably, through autonomous grocery order fulfillment directly from the factory. Walmart, Amazon and Ocado are among those leading the charge, with warehouses ranging from 8,000 to 350,000 sqft featuring robotic order picking designed to fill online grocery orders. Walmart uses Alphabot within a multilevel warehouse to pick and fill its tote before delivering it to the final picking station where a human fills grocery bags based on computer generated directions.

Ocado goes a step further, they too have automated robots filling mobile totes within a massive grid-like multilevel structure, but in addition to this (unlike Alphabot) they have a picking machine using cameras, suction and sensors to robotically unload the totes and fill grocery bags. They are also working on a robotic hand sensitive enough to pick soft fruits and vegetables without damage. Their UK based factory has been widely successful, and thus recent trends have shown U.S. companies such as Kroger partnering with Ocado to build massive Ocado based fulfillment centers. Kroger has planned up to 20 centers within the next three years, some, like the Ohio location, are slated to be 335,000 square feet in size. The Ocado camera based robotic picking arm sets itself apart from its Walmart and Amazon counterparts, as it is not reliant on humans in the final stage of the process, the unloading and filling of boxes or bags.

 As distributors carrying a wide array of industrial grade cameras suitable for such robotic arms, we are well positioned to assist with the computer vision component of industrial grocery automation. Whether it is a camera on a picking arm, cameras on work stations, or cameras embedded within deep learning factory machinery, our diverse selection of industrial cameras will meet any requirement. Our sales representatives have over 20 years of experience within the factory automation industry and are available to help.