In The News Archives - Cypher Robotics

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

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

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.

“We are the largest provider in New Zealand and also probably the oldest. It started off of the old post box exchange and has evolved over the years as the technology has changed,” explained Spark Product Manager Monique Strawbridge during an interview from Auckland.

“We say our ambition is to help all of New Zealand win big in a digital world. We operate on both the consumer side and right up to the government and enterprise markets.”

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

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, primarily, to Ericsson followed by Nokia. They make the products that make these networks run, along with the software that controls it.

And with Industry 3.0 fast approaching, demand for private 5G networks will only grow. If you’re not familiar, Industry 3.0 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 companies like Ericsson 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 one 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.

Ericsson already knew about Cypher Robotics. And it 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.

“Mobile plans and broadband plans kind of get cheaper all the time with competition in the market,” explained Product Manager Strawbridge.

“With business (clients), there’s that opportunity to really leverage the new capabilities of networks as they mature. When you match up with a solution like Cypher Robotics, you can really make sure that your customers are driving new productivity gains or efficiencies – as well as creating new revenue streams for our operation as well.”

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 3.0, indeed.

Below: The Cypher app during a demo at a large New Zealand warehouse, along with a screengrab of CEO Peter King.

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 3.0, 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.

Cypher Robotics puts Captis on the global stage at GITEX GLOBAL 2024 in Dubai

Oct 17, 2024 | Autonomous Cycle Counting, In The News, Precision Scanning

By Scott Simmie

It is, as the saying goes, “The biggest show on earth.”

At least it is if you’re talking about technology and AI. We’re referring here to GITEX GLOBAL 2024, running from October 14-18 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. It’s the largest and most influential tech and AI show on the planet, spanning 40 halls with 6,500 exhibitors and more than 200,000 buyers. From the largest global tech and AI firms right down to the most innovative startups, it’s all there in one place.

That also means, as an exhibitor, there’s a lot of competition for eyeballs. For example, Tesla is there with the latest iteration of its humanoid robot Optimus – which was unveiled at a splashy event hosted by Elon Musk just last week. The latest autonomous vehicles are on display, including air taxis from the coming world of Advanced Air Mobility.

It could, at a show of this magnitude, be easy for an exhibitor to get lost in the crowd. But Cypher Robotics – and its cutting-edge cycle counting/precision scanning solution Captis – is garnering plenty of attention on the world stage.

“We knew there was demand for a solution like ours, but the response has been phenomenal,” says Founder/CEO Peter King. “And the show’s not even over.”

Below: The Cypher Robotics inventory counting solution Captis, in a major Canadian warehouse where it’s been deployed for a year, followed by a video showing Captis in action

THE CAPTIS SOLUTION

The revolution toward Industry 4.0 – where automation and AI are intertwined for greater efficiency – is well underway. Industry leaders like Amazon are already extensively automated with robotic systems to assist with fulfilment and inventory counting. For many other large companies, however, that voyage is just beginning. And there’s tremendous interest in solutions that can bring autonomous and accurate solutions to the warehouse floor.

“The response at GITEX GLOBAL 2024 has been tremendous,” says King. “And not just from retailers with large warehouses that need cycle counting and precision scanning. We’re also having serious discussions with clients from the Third Party Logistics (3PL) and healthcare sectors.”

That’s because Captis is like no other solution on the market.

“Captis can work non-stop for five hours, autonomously scanning inventory in even massive warehouses up to a height of 15 metres,” says King. “It captures data that is instantly and securely integrated with existing warehouse management platforms with 99.9 per cent accuracy. Not only does it read any kind of code on stock, it can also do RFID scanning. The efficiencies we’ve seen with our flagship client in Canada are amazing.”

Below: Cypher Robotics Founder/CEO Peter King discussing the finer points of Captis at GITEX GLOBAL 2024 in Dubai

HOW IT WORKS

For many companies with large warehouses, scanning is still done manually. That means workers repeatedly moving down massive aisles with a handheld scanner. It’s not very satisfying work and is prone to human error. The task also tends to have high attrition rates. In warehouses with inventory stacked high (as most are), there’s the added element of risk from having a human work at height on a forklift or other elevated platform.

Captis changes all this.

The Captis base is a low-footprint autonomous mobile robot (AMR). That base, on its own, is capable of automatically capturing RFID tags, or creating a precise digital twin of a space for planning scenarios. When its five-hour mission is complete, it returns and recharges wirelessly at its base. Its small size means no infrastructure changes are required at warehouses – something often required for other AMR and cycle counting solutions.

But the exceptional value proposition comes from the ability of Captis to work at height. That’s because it’s not simply an AMR – but an AMR with embedded drone technology.

A Robot Operating System (ROS) based drone rests atop Captis. It’s linked to the base via a lightweight tether. That tether provides power to the drone, and transfers data between the two. As Captis makes its way down warehouse aisles, the drone ascends directly above it. The drone is equipped with multiple sensors to read any and all inventory codes. That data is then instantly migrated into existing Warehouse Management Software or Warehouse Execution System platforms. Captis has been tested and certified by one of the world’s leading AI fulfilment software companies and integrates seamlessly with its platform.

Captis has been deployed at a major Canadian retailer – a company with some 300 large warehouses across the country – for more than a year. It has saved 250,000 person-hours of work and generated significant additional revenue for the client by identifying discontinued or excess stock that can be discounted and sold to pave the way for current inventory. It has also freed up forklifts and other machines that would otherwise have been used to assist with human scanning at height.

“Captis is a proven solution,” says King. “And I think that’s part of the reason there’s so much interest here at GITEX GLOBAL 2024.”

Below: A snapshot of the multiple value propositions Captis brings to the table (and the warehouse), followed by a video detailing the Captis mobile app released at GITEX GLOBAL 2024

THE VIEW FROM CYPHER

The genesis of Cypher Robotics was the identification of the need for an all-in-one solution: Cycle counting, RFID scanning, and precision scanning for digital twins. That’s how the idea for Captis came about. It was an ambitious concept that would require exceptional and dedicated engineering. InDro Robotics offered its support as incubator, assisting with the immense technical challenges which had to be overcome for this system to work.

“Captis has been proven in 100,000 square feet warehouses with ever-changing stock stacked to the ceiling. It has also proven its worth on the showroom floor, autonomously scanning all inventory after the customers leave,” says King.

“We had a lot learnings during that initial deployment, and every single one of them has been integrated into making Captis a ready-for-market product. We’re ready. And, based on the phenomenal response at GITEX GLOBAL 2024 – so is the market.”

Interested in learning what Captis can do for you? Reach out here. You can also download a news release about Cypher Robotics and Captis at GITEX GLOBAL 2024 here.

Cypher Robotics, GreyOrange on the future of warehouse automation

Sep 25, 2024 | Autonomous Cycle Counting, Case Studies, In The News

By Scott Simmie

Cypher Robotics, along with AI fulfillment leader GreyOrange, offered a detailed peek into the future of warehouse automation during a recent webinar hosted by Robotics 24/7.

Cypher co-founder and CEO Peter King was joined by GreyOrange CEO Akash Gupta to explore both the challenges – and advantages – of integrating automation into warehouses and other Third Party Logistics (3PL) and supply chain sectors.

So, what does that future look like?

You might picture autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) moving heavy loads from point A to point B. There could be pick and place robots grabbing specific items from inventory shelves and relocating them, or putting them in boxes. AMRs equipped with manipulator arms might be loading or unloading trucks. Other devices could be scanning existing inventory to ensure companies have accurate and realtime information on precisely what is on hand.

All of these technologies are here now – and, to varying degrees – are being implemented as companies transition toward a more efficient and cost-effective way of doing things.

But such systems involve a lot of moving parts that need to be coordinated. And when you throw actual people into the mix, along with building infrastructure, things get a lot more complicated.

Together, Cypher Robotics and GreyOrange believe they offer a solution.

Below: Captis, the signature product of Cypher Robotics, preparing to do a warehouse inventory scan

CAPTIS

We’ll dive into the webinar in a moment. First, however, it’s worth taking a look at Captis.

It’s an autonomous mobile platform that does three things, and does them all very well. With a five-hour runtime, Captis can:

Autonomously scan inventory optically using a tethered drone attached to the AMR Captis base
Autonomously scan inventory using RFID
Create ultra-precise digital twins of a warehouse space

If you’ve been following Cypher Robotics, you’ll know that we formally launched Captis earlier this year at the massive Automate 2024 conference. You might also recall that its appearance created significant buzz.

And that’s because this wasn’t just some prototype – but an exhaustively tested, real-world solution.

Captis has been deployed for more than a year with a large Canadian retailer that has hundreds of huge warehouses across the country. Captis has proven itself on the warehouse floor, providing the retailer with realtime inventory updates and saving employees from the risky (and often unsatisfying) work of repeatedly manually scanning stock – some of which is 10 metres above the ground.

And while Captis runs autonomously, a fully automated warehouse might deploy several different kinds of robots. Once you started putting multiple robots and/or agents into a single location, you need an overarching software platform that can orchestrate all of these machines – while bearing in mind that human beings also share that space. The webinar, entitled Rise of the Robots: Driving Safety & Adoption with Multiagent Orchestration, focussed on exactly that.

THREE PILLARS

Watching the webinar, it became clear there are three overarching themes involved with any sound implementation of robotics into the workplace/warehouse space:

Worker safety
Orchestration of multiple robotic devices into a seamless single system, even with highly complex inventories
Return on Investment

Both GreyOrange and Cypher Robotics were aligned on these pillars, with the former focussing on comprehensive software solutions and the latter on an efficient and safe device that can keep workers from repetitive and potentially dangerous tasks while offering a clear value proposition to the client.

From the GreyOrange side, a large part of the solution is its GreyMatter realtime fulfillment platform, an AI-powered software designed for multi-agent orchestration. In other words, ensuring that the right robot or agent is doing the right thing at the right time.

“GreyMatter is pretty much an automation-first warehouse execution system capable of automating…the end-to-end of the warehouse,” explained GreyOrange CEO Gupta. “We support 10 to 15 different robotic technologies on our platform that in GreyMatter is agnostic to any of these robotic technologies that you can deploy in any of the processes of the warehouse.”

Another key part of GreyMatter is what Gupta calls its Certified Ranger Network.

“It’s basically a group of robotic technologies that are…seamlessly integrated with GreyMatter. We also certify them for reliability, safety and security.” (The Cypher Robotics Captis is part of that Certified Ranger Network.)

Working in concert with all of this is a piece of mobile software created by GreyOrange called gStore.

“It’s end-to-end integration orchestration within the four walls of the stores…inventory management, store operations, Omni channel execution, customer experience, (gStore is) basically kind of bringing all of that together.”

Collectively, said Gupta, you can think of these working synergically to ensure that the “agent up-time or robotic up-time gets converted into fullfillment outcomes.”

Below: A graphic from the presentation outlining how the GreyOrange system works

FROM THE CYPHER SIDE

CEO and Co-Founder Peter King comes with the perfect background for the job. He spent 10 years in the supply chain and logistics industry, followed by 15 years in the robotics and drone sectors. Cypher Robotics, he says, “is kind of a marriage between those realms.”

Several years ago, King was approached by a massive Canadian retailer that wanted to look at an automated solution for its warehouses. The product needed to be able to count inventory autonomously (including boxes high up on racks), had to be highly accurate, and – ideally – would work with the company’s existing infrastructure. In other words, no physical changes to warehouse layout would be required.

That’s no small task. And work on what would become Captis began in 2021.

“It’s an AMR/drone combination product,” said King. “It’s both a vision-based and RFID capture system. And that product works harmoniously together to autonomously go up and down aisles counting inventory. What makes us unique is our ability to trundle up and down aisles for up to five hours collecting data, unlike some traditional methods today.”

While some companies offer drone-based solutions, they come with limitations. Batteries have to be frequently changed and run times are limited. Because the drone is tethered to the Captis base, it draws power from that base enabling vastly extended flight times. As the drone hovers above, Captis navigates autonmously down the aisles. Captis can also capture precise digital twins of any environment it’s deployed in. All of the data acquired optically by the drone – or by Captis itself in RFID or digital twin mode – is meshed real-time into the client’s Warehouse Management System (WMS).

The product formally launched in March – and has since gained considerable interest in the industry.

“We’re gaining a lot of traction and realising just how big this marketplace is,” he added.

Cypher’s main clients are retail operators with large warehouses, but the company is also moving into Third-Party Logistics (3PL) and healthcare. And, as you’ll see in a moment, has truly proven its worth with its flagship client.

Below: An overview of the Captis system, followed by a graphic illustrating how it works

CASE STUDY

Due to the extensive work Captis has been doing with a major Canadian retailer, Cypher Robotics has been able to pull together a case study that reflects the product’s ROI.

In one large facility alone, said King, “we’re anticipating that we are going to eliminate 250,000 man hours per year.”

Those are hours that largely would have been spent by people manually scanning products, an intrinsically unsatisfying task with poor job satisfaction and high attrition rates. But King emphasised those savings don’t mean jobs are being lost; rather, that employees can be transferred to more satisfying work.

“There’s a very long conversation around robots replacing workers and, in this case, we’re actually looking to shift those hours into more productive areas of the business and help this current client actually keep employees in the facilities as well.”

The Cypher solution has had other significant bottom-line benefits for this client.

Online orders that have to be cancelled because an item is out-of-stock are a huge pain point for large companies. If the inventory cycle count isn’t highly accurate, items that are unavailable can show on the web as being in stock. Those orders, which wind up being cancelled, can add up to huge potential losses. That’s because, in addition to resources spent refunding to customers, the company has lost large numbers of potential sales.

With Captis onboard, King said those unfulfilled online orders have been reduced by 50 per cent. Ensuring customers were ordering items in stock led to $7.5 million in additional annual revenue for just this one client.

What’s more, because Captis can easily track how many discontinued items are in stock, it alerts the retailer to put an emphasis on selling those items in order to clear the way for new stock.

“We’re reducing the discontinued inventory by 12 per cent, so another 1.2 million dollars in overall sales for this client,” said King. “We think that’s a big deal by allowing them to push discontinued product and make sure that they understand what areas of their business they need to focus on to eliminate that inventory.”

In addition, King said the system has enabled the client to reduce their cancelled orders – leading to roughly one million dollars in additional annual revenue. With this particular client, the system has proven its worth many times over.

But there could be more benefits down the road. Cypher Robotics is exploring with the client how to identify spare room in those massive warehouses that could be put to profitable use by leasing that space to third parties.

“One of the things you’ll see on our road map is the ability to provide fulfillment services for unused space,” said King. “So understanding how much space is in your warehouse (that could be available) to allow other organizations to access – understanding what your utilization rates are allows you to understand what inventory looks like at each of your facilities to make sure that you’re managing (space) appropriately. For this one client specifically, we can see that there’s a huge need in this industry.”

Below: Details from the Cypher Robotics case study

A CLEAR VISION

The picture is becoming pretty clear, at least for large-scale warehouses and fulfillment/3PL companies: Automation is the future.

But the key here is that this future must be carefully orchestrated. You can’t simply throw a bunch of AMRs and other automation into a facility – particularly with human beings walking around – without concerns for worker safety, including equipping those machines with the best available sensors and AI for detecting and avoiding people and other objects. Wherever possible, you also want to avoid costly infrastructure changes to accommodate these technologies.

But the bigger picture – as described in the webinar – is the importance of certifying these machines and the overarching orchestration of how all of these moving parts work together. And not only work together, but do so in the most efficient and logical way possible. Software like GreyMatter and gStore are half of this equation; robotic solutions like Captis and other complementary systems are the other half.

“As the incubator of Cypher Robotics, InDro Robotics is exceedingly proud to see the great strides this company has made in a relatively short time period,” says InDro Founder and CEO Philip Reece. “Cypher Robotics and Captis do more than count inventory and create digital twins in a highly accurate and timely fashion; they provide critical and actionable data that has proven to significantly improve the client’s bottom line. Technologies like this also play an important role in keeping employees out of potential harm’s way – and allow them to carry out more satisfying tasks.”

Interested in learning more about Cypher Robotics and Captis? You can download a deck here. And if you’d like a conversation, you can contact Cypher Robotics here.