Smart elevators

2021: Concept of Elevator Interaction with Robots by Deliverers

The delivery of the "last mile" produced by robot delivery workers is the most expensive part of the logistics chain in 2021, which, according to a study by McKinsey, accounts for more than 50% of the cost of transporting an order. Therefore, delivery using a robot can cost, according to the analytical portal AGV Network, 15 times cheaper than usual.

But while the route of such robots is limited - in order to send or pick up an order, people need to go outside to the robot. Although modern technologies allow you to organize a full door-to-door delivery cycle, this is possible with two important conditions. We need a barrier-free environment in multi-storey buildings and the inclusion of a smart elevator in the supply chain.

In this case, the robot independently remotely opens the door of the entrance, enters the inside, calls the elevator. A smart elevator exchanges information with the robot through the cloud and takes it to the right floor, and after arriving at the place it will release its passenger from the cab.

"Very soon, construction companies will take this method of delivery into account when designing buildings. By 2027, the volume of this market will reach $38.3 billion, which will lead not only to an improvement in the quality of life of the population, but also to the creation of an effective barrier-free environment, "said Kone Russia Kenneth Lindgren, CEO.

Robot lift symbiosis has been used for more than three years at the EMC2 Hotel in Chicago (USA). There, not only people use KONE smart elevators, but also Savioke's Relay butler robots, delivering guests food, drinks and bedding to different floors. The robot itself calls the elevator using Bluetooth, stops in the cockpit, transmits the floor number to the control system, and after arriving at the place, it goes on its own. Such decisions increase the level of satisfaction of guests, offload hotel employees from routine affairs.

It is assumed that as progress develops, courier robots will make a significant contribution to the creation of a barrier-free environment, since the business will be directly interested in it. At this time, often elements of a barrier-free environment are ticked to report to the authorities, but not for everyday use. In the case of robotic delivery, the business should be interested in a real barrier-free environment, as this will give a competitive advantage, which will be a real gift for the elderly, disabled and mothers with young children who can freely move through public spaces.

Analysts are confident that in the future such delivery robots expect a surge in popularity due to the growing investment attractiveness of this segment, an increase in the carrying capacity of electronic couriers and cheaper technologies. By 2040, the market capacity, according to the analytical company IDTechEx could reach $290 billion.