Brain Corp

Autonomous mobile robots that clean floors, move goods and scan shelves are run on BrainOS, the artificial intelligence platform from Brain Corp. The company does not make its own machines in most cases. Instead it supplies the autonomy software and fleet tools that equipment manufacturers build into their robots, and that organizations then use to operate and monitor them. It describes itself as the operator of the largest fleet of robots of this kind, a claim it makes for itself, and its site refers to robots deployed on six continents and to over 10,000 brands and manufacturing partners.

Floor care, delivery and inventory scanning

Three applications are described. Autonomous floor scrubbers and vacuums, the most widespread, are said to be used in thousands of locations. Delivery robots handle point-to-point movement of inventory indoors, taking over heavy pulling to cut wear and injuries. Inventory scan robots turn a mobile robot into a data collection platform: with computer vision they capture whether products are in stock, whether shelf prices are correct, where items sit and whether shelves follow the planned layout. The company has also announced a fully managed service that delivers shelf intelligence from robots.

One platform for the whole fleet

The company stresses that every application sits on the same central platform, so managing, operating and reporting on a robot fleet is simpler than juggling separate vendor systems. It says its robots need no custom infrastructure or specialized training and have a straightforward interface that employees pick up quickly. Autonomy tools and services help organizations bring automation into existing software and workflows.

Safety and the case for robots

Safety is the first difference the firm names: its AI and sensor technology lets robots move around people and obstacles. Its argument for robots is that they take over time-consuming tasks, produce data that shows how operations run, and ease the problems of absenteeism, staff turnover and training. Its newer generation platform is aimed at manufacturers who want a shorter route to market for automated robots in volume.

Brain Corp develops BrainOS, an artificial intelligence platform that lets organisations operate and monitor autonomous mobile robots. It works with equipment manufacturers so their machines can navigate on their own, and it describes itself as running a very large fleet of such robots.

Services

• BrainOS platform: software for managing, operating and reporting on robot fleets.
• Autonomous floor cleaning: scrubbers and vacuums that clean without a driver.
• Delivery robots: indoor movement of inventory and heavy pulling.
• Inventory scanning: robots with computer vision that report availability, pricing accuracy, location and planogram compliance.
• Autonomy tools: services to add automation to existing software and workflows.

Who it serves

Retailers and other facility operators, and robot makers who use the platform in their machines.

Key facts

• Platform: BrainOS
• Approach: partners with equipment manufacturers
• Focus: safe navigation around people and obstacles