Cypher Robotics and Captis impress at Mobile World Congress in Spain

Cypher Robotics and Captis impress at Mobile World Congress in Spain

Mar 10, 2026 | Autonomous Cycle Counting, Case Studies, In The News

By Cypher Robotics

 

Cypher Robotics is back home after a highly successful trip to the Mobile World Congress (MWC26) show in Barcelona. It’s one of the world’s largest showcases for connected devices – everything from robots operating over private 5G networks through to the growing number of smart IoT devices we have in our homes. Regardless of the innovation, it’s all about connectivity and achieving greater efficiencies by gathering and transmitting data through wireless networks.

That’s why it was the perfect venue for us to display our Captis cycle counting and inventory management solution.

Captis is a fully autonomous, automated system that captures inventory in even the largest warehouses in one of two ways. Captis Aerial integrates a tethered drone with an Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) to scan inventory even at the highest bins (saving humans from working at height) while transferring all data in real time into the client’s Warehouse Management System (WMS). A second configuration, Captis RFID, autonomously scans RFID tags. Captis can operate non-stop on missions lasting up to eight hours before autonomously returning to its base for a wireless recharge.

Cypher Robotics attended the show at the invitation of Ericsson Enterprise Wireless Solutions. Ericsson is deploying its Ericsson Private 5G (EP5G) Networks at a number of global companies as they transition fully into the Industry 4.0 era. Solutions like Captis are a tangible way of demonstrating the power those networks enable.

Above: Captis Aerial, demonstrating how its tethered drone captures inventory in real time at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Below: Crowds gather to watch Captis in action.

ACCURACY, AUTONOMY, EFFICIENCY

 

The Captis system is not a work-in-progress. It’s a fully functioning system deployed in multiple locations around the world. It saves clients money (and saves employees from dreary, sometimes dangerous manual scanning) with unprecedented accuracy and speed.

That’s an easy thing to say – but we have the data to back up that statement. In one of our locations, we worked in tandem with the client (Leon’s, one of Canada’s largest furniture and appliance retailers) to carefully track the benefits of the Captis system. The results are impressive. Our system achieved:

  • Industry-leading accuracy of 99.8 per cent – eliminating human error
  • Elimination of downtime by ending the need to close down warehouse aisles for manual cycle counts
  • 90 per cent reduction in the amount of time required for weekly cycle counts in one warehouse (two hours with Captis vs 20 hours manually)

And those are just the highlights. You can read the complete case study on Leon’s right here.

 

REACTION

 

A big show like the MWC has a lot of displays competing for eyeballs. Our Captis system attracted a *lot* of attention throughout the exhibition, with constant crowds watching the solution operate.

“It really captured the imagination of a lot of the attendees,” says one of our reps at the show.  “One thing worth noting is this is a solution that’s deployed today – and has delivered significant business impact.”

Also worth mentioning is that while Captis is sending accurate real time data to a company’s WMS, it’s also pulling data from that system and looking for any discrepancies between the two datasets.

“So we can truly compare what we actually have on hand with what we thought we had on hand. And the variance report that’s created through our software allows companies to really increase the accuracy of their inventory.”

Below: A look at the two Captis systems in action

 

CYPHER’S VIEW

 

It was a privilege to demonstrate the capabilities of the Captis system before an audience from around the globe – and we were very gratified by the response. People intuitively understood the immense value proposition the moment they saw Captis in action.

“Captis is gaining immense traction as companies seek efficient, autonomous solutions to cycle counting and inventory management,” says Peter King, Founder and CEO of Cypher Robotics. “It was an honour to have Ericsson Enterprise Wireless Solutions once again select Cypher Robotics as a means of demonstrating the real-world power of its EP5G networks with our Captis system.”

Interested in learning more about what Captis can do for your enterprise? Contact us here.

New Zealand Captis deployment makes the news

New Zealand Captis deployment makes the news

May 29, 2025 | Autonomous Cycle Counting, Case Studies, In The News

By Cypher Robotics

 

It’s always nice when someone takes note of what you’re doing. And it’s particularly nice when that someone is mainstream media.

This week, both the New Zealand Herald and major New Zealand radio station NewstalkZB picked up on our deployment in Auckland. They did so because there’s actual news here.

Our trial deployment in New Zealand is a partnership with the country’s leading telco, Spark (more on that relationship here). It’s also a partnership with Ericsson, the world’s largest provider of telecommunications hardware. Odds are, your mobile plan runs on a network built by Ericsson.

As large companies increasingly embrace automation and the Industry 4.0 space, demand is growing for private 5G networks. These enable secure, low-latency closed networks for all the data throughput required by smart, interconnected devices.

The news here is that Air New Zealand, which has a stated goal to be “a leading digital airline globally,” has – in conjunction with Spark and Ericsson – installed the country’s first private 5G network at its Auckland warehouse. That network has been installed so our Captis cycle counting solution can operate securely and at peak efficiency in its 9,000 square metre (53,800 square feet) facility.

We’ll get into more details in a moment, but this brief radio interview with Spark New Zealand’s Customer Director for Enterprise and Government, Mark Beder, provides a great overview.

WHAT WE’RE DOING

 

Our Captis cycle-counting and precision scanning solution is an autonomous mobile robot about one metre high. Using powerful compute, machine vision and an autonomy software stack, Captis can navigate even massive warehouses on five-hour missions before returning to a wireless recharge base. It can carry out precision scans for digital twins while carrying out its other work. No infrastructure changes are required.

That other work involves a tethered drone that rests on top of Captis. When Captis heads down aisles, the drone ascends and scans any codes on warehouse stock. It counts that stock as it goes, with all data instantly uploaded to a client’s Warehouse Management Software or Warehouse Execution Software. (An additional module can replace the drone for RFID captures in, say, a showroom setting.)

Our deployment in New Zealand is a first for that country, and Spark believes it heralds the beginning of wider adoption of private 5G networks.

“It’s really exciting to have the first one under way and it really is a good test for us to really figure out how we can also solve different types of problems,” Spark’s Mark Beder told the New Zealand Herald.

In the same article, Ericsson’s Head of Enterprise for Private 5G networks Ian Ross said Air New Zealand’s warehouse is “a very complex radio environment,” adding ““Wi-Fi has struggles providing a good signal quality in the depths of the aisles, particularly with the height of the racks, where we find 5G is optimised for this type of environment.”

 

DEPLOYMENTS

 

Providing one of the flagship pieces of technology for this venture is a huge opportunity for Cypher Robotics. But it’s not the first. The company has been carrying out trials for more than a year with one of Canada’s leading retail outlets – a company that has hundreds of large warehouses across the country and large turnover of its retail projects. Captis has been scanning in one of those warehouses – and another unit is about to be deployed in a second location.

“Captis has been proven in Canadian trials,” says Cypher Robotics Founder and CEO Peter King. “The partnership with Spark, Ericsson and Air New Zealand allows us to operate in a private 5G network environment – which is a first for us. We look forward to helping to demonstrate the benefits of these networks in an Industry 4.0 setting.”

Below: Cypher Robotics Founder/CEO Peter King at Air New Zealand’s Auckland warehouse

Cypher Captis App Spark Accelerate Peter King

CYPHER’S TAKE

 

We’re obviously pleased to be taking part in this trial in New Zealand – especially since it involves that country’s first private 5G network. It’s also gratifying to see coverage from the news media.

“This is a highly significant deployment for Cypher Robotics – and the first outside of Canada,” explains Peter King. “We’re grateful for our robust partnerships with Spark, Ericsson and Air New Zealand as we demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy Captis brings to cycle-counting within a private 5G network setting.”

If you missed it the first time around, here’s a link to that New Zealand Herald story.

Cypher, Ericsson share the stage at Detroit’s big Automate 2025 show

Cypher, Ericsson share the stage at Detroit’s big Automate 2025 show

May 13, 2025 | Autonomous Cycle Counting, In The News, Precision Scanning

By Cypher Robotics

 

Greetings from Detroit, where Cypher Robotics is pleased to be sharing a booth with telecom leader Ericsson at the big Automate 2025 show. More than 40,000 people are attending, so it’s a pretty big deal.

Specifically, we’re displaying our cycle counting solution, Captis, alongside Ericsson’s Enterprise Wireless Solutions division. Captis is an autonomous mobile robot that can capture inventory in even massive warehouses in a single five-hour shift.

It does so in one of two ways. In the back end of a warehouse, a tethered drone ascends from the Captis AMR base. That drone scans product codes as the AMR moves its way autonomously down the aisles. All data is uploaded in realtime to existing warehouse management software.

By swapping out the drone’s “nest” for a different module on top of Captis, the system is capable of capturing RFID tags. We’ve found this particularly useful for getting an accurate count in showrooms, where stock is frequently sold directly from the floor. (And yes, Captis can do this work while customers are in the store.) Captis can also, we should note, carry out precision scans for digital twins while it’s on the job.

But there’s a secret sauce here that really enables Captis to shine in an Industry 4.0 setting: A private 5G network. And that…is the reason we’ve joined Ericsson at Automate 2025.

Below: Captis and its tethered drone, ready for another warehouse shift…

Captis with drone

THE 5G CONNECTION

 

If you’re not aware, Ericsson is the world leader in telecommunications hardware and software. If you’ve got a cell phone – and who doesn’t – odds are you’re using a network built by Ericsson regardless of provider. Those are, obviously, public networks.

But Ericsson also builds private 5G networks for industry. Earlier this year, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) installed one of those networks to enhance its auto manufacturing in an Industry 4.0 setting.

“This cutting-edge networking technology is enhancing the production of Range Rover vehicles by supporting business-critical applications such as vision systems, IoT sensors, and production tools,” explains this Ericsson post. “The deployment of Ericsson Private 5G is a pivotal step for JLR in embracing Industry 4.0.”

Industry 4.0 is a highly automated setting, where smart devices communicate with each other in a low-latency, high-bandwidth, highly secure network. In addition to the ability to monitor all devices, these systems also offer predictive maintenance analytics to reduce unplanned downtime. We reached out to Ericsson for more.

“As part of their digital transformation and push towards Industry 4.0, we’re seeing manufacturers make investments in key areas like autonomy, industrial IoT devices and advanced analytics,” says Ericsson’s Jan Diekmann, the company’s Global vertical lead manufacturing – Private 5G Networks.

But why not simply hop on your local cellular provider network?

“If you use a public network, your data goes through that public network,” says Diekmann. “If you have a private network, you get the security that comes with having the data managed by you. You control who sees it, where it goes. You can also accommodate a high density of devices in a small area – which is critical in an Industry 4.0 setting.”

 

THE CYPHER CONNECTION

 

So how do you demonstrate the benefits of a private 5G network to industry? It’s not like you can point to invisible data flying through the ether.

That’s where Cypher Robotics and Captis come in. Because these devices are intended for an Industry 4.0 setting, they’re a tangible way to demonstrate the benefits of such networks.

“That’s the reason we like to showcase use-cases. We’re really trying to help manufacturers see the value of a private 5G network and bring the concept to life,” adds Diekmann.

Below: Cypher Robotics Founder and CEO Peter King, left, along with partners Ericsson and Slolam Consulting

Peter King with Ericsson, Slolam Consulting Hannover Messe 2025

THE VIEW FROM CYPHER

 

We’re obviously pleased that Ericsson wanted Cypher Robotics onboard for Automate 2025. It’s an important show – and a great way to get our solution in front of additional potential clients.

We’re equally pleased to help Ericsson showcase how private 5G networks will, over time, become ubiquitous in the Industry 4.0 landscape.

If you’d like more information about the Captis solution, feel free to get in touch here.

Cypher Robotics, Ericsson partner at Hannover Messe 2025

Cypher Robotics, Ericsson partner at Hannover Messe 2025

Apr 9, 2025 | Autonomous Cycle Counting, In The News, Precision Scanning

By Cypher Robotics

 

We’re back home now – and it’s been a bit of a whirlwind.

At the end of March, we packed up Captis – our cycle counting and precision scanning solution – and flew to Germany for the big Hannover Messe 2025 show. It was a massive show of automation and other innovative technologies; some 4,000 exhibitors highlighted 10,000 products and solutions for 127,000 attendees.

“This is one of the biggest shows on the planet, and a great venue for Cypher Robotics,” explains company Founder and CEO Peter King, who attended. We partnered with Ericsson – the global leader in telecommunications hardware and software – at the event, which was also a big deal for Canada.

We were the “partner country,” which meant that Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canana was a key sponsor of the show. If you check out this highlight reel, you’ll see a robotic goalie built by an Ontario high school robotics team.

THE CAPTIS SOLUTION

 

Captis is a three-in-one device that can autonomously count inventory, scan products with RFID tags and carry out precision scans. When cycle counting in a large warehouse, a tethered drone attached to the AMR base scans all codes on missions that can last as long as five hours. All that data is transmitted wirelessly to a company’s existing Warehouse Management Software or Warehouse Execution System. It’s very much an Industry 4.0 solution.

“There was a lot of interest in Captis at Hannover Messe,” says King. “People immediately understand the value proposition.”

And so does Ericsson.

 

ERICSSON AND 5G

 

Ericsson is the global leader in providing the critical components that enable 5G networks. And, with the emphasis on IR4, continues to push the technology envelope. The firm recently announced that, in conjunction with Verizon and Qualcomm, the companies had achieved a record-breaking uplink speed of 480 Mbps.

“Emerging applications, such as smart surveillance, industrial automation, augmented reality devices and generative AI models, require massive amounts of data to be continuously uploaded for analysis, decision-making, and model training,” said Srini Kalapala, Senior Vice President of Technology and Product Development at Verizon in a news release.

AI-driven products like Captis rely on high speed networks. And, as companies embrace Industry 4.0, many are starting to opt for the security and reliability of their own, highly secure, private 5G networks.

“Products like Captis really help demonstrate how private 5G networks can help utterly transform businesses in this IR4 landscape,” says King.

Ericsson’s website concurs:

“As manufacturers modernize their operations, the need for the right connectivity has never been more critical. Data transformation in manufacturing starts with a unified connectivity platform that seamlessly integrates your existing digital assets to enable new technologies. At the heart of this transformation is 5G connectivity, delivering scalable, flexible solutions that harness massive amounts of data generated by Industrial IoT devices.”

Below: Peter King (l) with partners from Ericsson and Slolam Consulting at Hannover Messe 2025, followed by an image of Captis in a large Canadian warehouse

Peter King with Ericsson, Slolam Consulting Hannover Messe 2025
Captis with drone

THE CYPHER VIEW

 

Strategic partnerships are always important in business. Arguably, such partnerships are even more important as the world transitions more fully into Industry 4.0. All the Smart Devices in the world are meaningless without robust data pipelines, so we are very pleased to be in a partnership with Ericsson – and view it as validation of our products and vision.

“Cypher would like to thank Ericsson for the opportunity to share the stage at Hannover Messe 2025,” says Cypher Founder and CEO King. “This was a tremendous opportunity to not only showcase Captis before a global audience of decision-makers, but also to demonstrate the role private 5G networks will play in IR4.”

Interested in learning more about the Captis solution? Hit us up here. 

Cypher Robotics partners with Spark – New Zealand’s telco leader

Cypher Robotics partners with Spark – New Zealand’s telco leader

Dec 16, 2024 | Autonomous Cycle Counting, In The News, Precision Scanning

By Cypher Robotics

 

Cypher Robotics is pleased to announce a partnership with the leading telecommunications provider in New Zealand, Spark.

Spark will provide network services, specifically private 5G networks, for future deployments of the Cypher Robotics Captis system in New Zealand. Spark recently invited Cypher Robotics to present at its inaugural Spark Accelerate technology summit – which brought together business and government leaders from across the country to learn more about how AI and automation have the power to transform efficiencies when deployed over secure, private 5G networks.

You know how the US has T-Mobile and Canada has Rogers? Well, New Zealand has Spark.

“As New Zealand’s largest telecommunications and digital services provider, we’ve evolved alongside technology to meet the changing needs of our customers,” explained Spark Product Manager Kahn Mitchell during an interview from Auckland.

“Our heritage stretches back to the earliest days of telecommunications in the country, and today our ambition is to help all of New Zealand win big in a digital world. We serve everyone from consumers through to government and enterprise customers, providing the connectivity and solutions that power our nation’s digital future.”

But how did Cypher Robotics land on the radar of a telco on the other side of the world? What’s in it for Cypher – and what’s in it for Spark?

Good questions. And we’ll answer them shortly. First, though, a highlight reel from the Spark event, which was attended by Cypher CEO Peter King.

SOME BACKGROUND

 

As you’re likely aware, Cypher Robotics’ flagship product is an Autonomous Mobile Robot designed from the ground up for cycle counting and precision scans. About a meter tall, Captis can carry out missions up to five hours long in massive warehouses with no changes to infrastructure.

The compact platform contains powerful compute and sensors onboard, and can be controlled and monitored via a secure mobile app. But the real magic is that on top of Captis rests a tethered drone. As Captis makes its way down those big warehouse aisles, that drone ascends via winch-controlled tether to the optimal height for scanning products stacked up to 10 metres high.

That tether carries electricity from the base to power the drone, meaning the drone can keep flying as long as Captis can keep moving – avoiding the hassle of charging and replacing drone batteries. That same tether also handles data transfer between the drone and its base. So as the drone scans barcodes on products, data is seamlessly and securely transferred in realtime to the client’s existing warehouse management system software. The result? Instant and accurate inventory counts, without the need to place employees at risk by working at height (and saving them from the drudgery of a repetitious job most people really don’t get much satisfaction from).

That’s not all. By replacing the ‘nest’ where the drone rests, Captis can be quickly fitted with an RFID scanner – which allows it to read RFID tags on all nearby products. We’ve exhaustively tested Captis in the warehouses of a very large Canadian retailer and have proven both the system and its efficiencies. Captis is also capable of carrying out precision scans of entire facilities, producing high-resolution 2D or 3D digital twins. So it’s really a three-in-one solution.

“When we launched Captis earlier this year at the big MODEX show, it was clear people immediately understood the value proposition,” explains Cypher Robotics CEO Peter King. “What we didn’t immediately anticipate was the global demand for the product – but we certainly get that now.”

Below: King talks about the Captis solution at the big GITEX exhibition in Dubai

Peter King GITEX Cypher Robotics Captis

THE SPARK CONNECTION

 

Most of us think of telecommunications companies as our mobile phone or internet provider. And that’s certainly a large part of what they do. But as we head into a world where Smart devices, the IoT and automation play increasingly important roles, so too do the networks these companies operate.

Companies like T-Mobile, Rogers and Spark all run these networks in their respective countries. But they do not manufacture the hardware that makes those networks work. That falls to a couple of companies that make the hardware (and software) for cellular networks worldwide.

And with Industry 4.0 fast approaching, demand for private 5G networks will only grow. If you’re not familiar, Industry 4.0 refers to a future where increased automation and AI generate greater efficiencies at scale for large companies. Private 5G networks ensure they’re not sharing the data pipeline with anyone else, and that their own secure system will be available 24/7/365 with dense data throughput capabilities. And, of course, building private networks is good not only for the companies that build network hardware but also for providers like Spark, which puts considerable resources into its enterprise and government clients.

But here’s the catch. The concept of a 5G network isn’t that easy to sell without a solid product that operates over that network at the front end. Without it, you’d simply be pointing into thin air and trying to explain an invisible product. That’s why companies like T-Mobile put on events similar to Spark Accelerate. The purpose of these shows is not just to share knowledge – but to drive business. It’s a lot easier for people to understand the value of a 5G network if they can see something tangible operate on it.

One of the companies that builds 5G network hardware thought Captis might be a perfect product for Spark to showcase within the context of its own private 5G networks. So an introduction was made, and after several conversations Peter King was on his way to Auckland to present at the Accelerate event. For Spark, the importance of the business sector is clear.

“The enterprise sector presents exciting opportunities to showcase the true potential of advanced network capabilities,” explained Product Manager Kahn Mitchell.

“When you combine emerging technologies like Cypher Robotics with our network infrastructure, you create powerful solutions that drive real business outcomes. This enables our customers to achieve significant productivity gains and operational efficiencies.”

While in Auckland, King took the opportunity to do a technology demonstration, carrying out precision scans at two massive warehouses. Cypher Robotics will return in 2025 Q1 to do a full install at one of those facilities – and anticipate a second will come soon after that. Industry 4.0, indeed.

Below: The Cypher app preparing for a digital twin scan of Entelar’s distribution warehouse in Mt. Wellington, New Zealand, followed by Cypher CEO Peter King at that facility. We’ve also included the panel Peter appeared on at the Spark Accelerate event

 

Cypher Captis App Spark Accelerate
Cypher Captis App Spark Accelerate Peter King

THE CYPHER PERSPECTIVE

 

We’re obviously pleased to have developed a partnership with Spark. The company is very forward-looking – and has deep connections and insight when it comes to New Zealand’s business community. The company also really ‘gets’ Industry 4.0, and has been integrating greater automation and AI efficiencies into its own workplace.

“Spark Accelerate was a great event – one that really showcased the possibilities for the future,” says Cypher Robotics CEO Peter King. “But an even greater outcome from that trip was solidifying what I’m confident will be a long and mutually beneficial partnership with Spark. The truth is, we hadn’t planned at launch to be in the international marketplace so quickly. But with a solid partner like Spark, New Zealand became an obvious choice to start deployments beyond North America.”

We’ll have more to say on our New Zealand plans after we make that next trip. Watch this space.