inVia Robotics, a developer of warehouse automation solutions for e-commerce, and Rufus Labs, a maker of intelligent wearable warehouse technology and workforce analytics software, have formed a strategic partnership that aims to increase intelligence and productivity in warehouses through a subscription offering. They state that the collaboration will address some of the warehouse labor shortages that the industry currently faces, by allowing warehouse employees to work more efficiently and supercharging workforce productivity.
To ensure a continuous flow of orders through the warehouse and increase picking rates with existing labor, inVia Picker robots autonomously retrieve ordered items and bring them to a stationary picker. That worker is directed by inVia PickMate software running on Rufus’s Android wearables and tablets to scan the items, place them in an order bin and then scan the bin. This cycle repeats and is continuously improved with intelligence from inVia Logic and Rufus Labs WorkHero software to create the most efficient movement of goods and people throughout the warehouse and thus increase productivity.
Both inVia and Rufus systems integrate with most warehouse management and enterprise resource planning systems. Additionally, the inVia Connect translation tool is built into inVia’s AI software and matches data fields across systems, simplifying a costly and complicated systems integration process that traditionally took months to complete.
Furthermore, inVia’s Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) model allows customers to pay only for the services they use, keeping investment targeted and delivering faster ROI. The system includes inVia Logic AI-driven software and inVia Picker robots. The system optimizes inventory placement, directs people or robots on the most efficient paths and orchestrates workflows to ensure idle time is minimized.
“inVia Logic alone doubles workers’ productivity and paves the way to later quadruple productivity once inVia Picker robots are deployed. With the added efficiencies introduced with Rufus Labs’ wearable technology, we expect productivity to reach new highs in our shared customers’ facilities,” said Lior Elazary, chief executive officer and co-founder of inVia Robotics.
Rufus Labs’ WorkHero is a complete Productivity-as-a-Service (PaaS) solution that includes workforce analytics software, rugged wearable technology (including computers and barcode scanners that offer real-time scanning metrics), scan and non-scan labor task management and workforce data to continually improve warehouse operations.
Additionally, the Rufus RADD Tab (Android tablet) provides operators in material handling vehicles or warehouse carts with hands-free access to supply chain applications they need to complete tasks faster and more accurately.
“Optimizing humans and robots in the warehouse is key to future sustainability, increased productivity and ensuring a safe environment for workers. Rufus WorkHero already cuts pick time in half and provides added safety features to pickers. Our partnership with inVia will continue to improve throughput for our mutual customers, and allow for future innovations between humans and machines,” concluded chief executive officer and founder of Rufus Labs, Gabe Grifoni.