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PickoBot specializes in robotic graphing in challenging scenarios with changing items. | Source: Pickommerce
Pickommerce announced today that it has secured $3.4 million in funding. The Meitar, Israel-based company said the latest round of funding will help advance the development, production and marketing of its PickoBot piece-picking robot.
Pickommerce noted that today’s logistics facilities are increasingly automated, with processes such as box picking and package unloading now primarily handled by robots.
But the final “pick and pack” step, even in the most advanced warehouses, largely relies on human pickers, according to the company — a notable challenge given the global shortage of tens of millions of workers in this role.
To fill this gap, item-picking robots can improve efficiency by picking and placing inventory across a wide range of items, reducing the need for labor for repetitive tasks, while improving performance and reducing errors.
“We are grateful for the commitment of our investors, customers and partners, and see significant market demand for Pickobot,” said Kfir Nissim, Co-Founder and CEO of Pickommerce.
“PickoBot pushes boundaries in the industry by providing unparalleled robot-independent flexibility with its diverse gripping capabilities,” he added. “This is achieved through the seamless integration of advanced computer vision, highly optimized packaging algorithms, and AI-based decision making.”
The funding round was led by IL Ventures, a fund focused on disruptive technologies for existing industries. It also included InNegev, Fusion VC, Israel Innovation Authority, and strategic investor ZIM Ventures, the corporate venture arm of shipping company ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd.
PickoBot System, the ‘Missing Link’
With PickoBot, Pickommerce claims to have provided the necessary link to achieve a fully autonomous warehouse workflow. The robot is suitable for a variety of industries, the company said. These include apparel, retail, e-commerce, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and spare parts.
PickoBot uses an advanced computer vision system powered by machine learning to safely and intelligently pack objects of various sizes, weights, and textures. It offers multiple gripping methods in a single station, including vacuum, finger-based, and a patented adhesive-based end effector.
Pickommerce also equipped the robot with an AI-based decision-making algorithm that selects the optimal gripper and grip configuration for each item. The company claims that the patented technology can increase the variety of products that robots can handle in logistics and the level of autonomy that they possess.
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Pickommerce brings precision to Havivian Farms.
Pickommerce cited a recent installation at Havivian Farm, one of Israel’s largest organic farms, which the company said demonstrated the adaptability and precision (in this case, soft touch) of its intelligent grip technology.
The organic farming company turned to Pickommerce to automate its bulk fresh produce packing line and reduce its operating costs. Pickommerce said the PickoBot can adapt to the complexities of picking and packing fresh produce quickly. It also said this feature is valuable to any supermarket that takes online orders.
“At Havivian Farms, quality is at the core of everything we do,” said Boaz Havivian, owner of Havivian Farms. “From the time we plant the seed in the ground to the time we harvest the crop, we do everything we can to ensure our customers receive the freshest, highest quality produce.”
“Pickommerce has been essential to this process,” he said. “Their Picobot allows us to efficiently handle, pack and ship produce, ensuring it reaches our customers in perfect condition.”
