Autonomous Navigation Technology Enables Asset Tracing, Transport Flow Optimization

BlueBotics announced the ANT locator, a highly flexible vehicle tracking and mixed fleet management solution for autonomous navigation.

"Based on our proven vehicle positioning technology, ANT locator allows companies to understand exactly where their forklifts are, and therefore where their pallets are too, whether inside or outdoors," says Dr. Nicola Tomatis, CEO of BlueBotics. "ANT locator also addresses an evolving challenge for internal logistics teams: how to ensure effective interactions between manual forklifts and driverless AGVs and AMRs, by enabling traffic light systems for mixed vehicle types, smart interactions in pre-defined zones, and the integrated monitoring of all vehicles."

Key takeaways:

• ANT locator is natively integrated with BlueBotics' ANT server AGV/AMR fleet manager, and can also be integrated with a customer's existing WMS, MES, ERP, or fleet management system. Further add-ons are also available, for example, for outdoor use and to manage the tracking of other mobile assets such as pallet jacks, or staff within shared spaces.
• With ANT locator, the live coordinates of manual trucks are integrated directly into BlueBotics' ANT server AGV fleet manager. This precise positioning data enables the software to automatically manage interactions between automated vehicles, manual trucks, and even human staff, for example, via the use of traffic light systems, helping companies to use their space as intelligently and safely as possible.
• With ANT locator integrated into every manual truck, the precise positions of these vehicles can be communicated continuously to a company's existing WMS/logistics software, allowing material handling teams to trace the exact location of every payload, at pick-up, at drop-off, and everywhere in between.
• The precise positioning data and analytics that ANT locator supplies allow companies to improve their manual truck flows, by understanding and optimizing their usage based on real-world insights. No asking, no watching, no guessing — just track, analyze, adjust, and advise.