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’s Captis takes the ‘ick’ out of inventory

Cypher’s Captis takes the ‘ick’ out of inventory

Feb 12, 2025 | Autonomous Cycle Counting, Precision Scanning

By Cypher Robotics

 

“Yay – time to do inventory!!”

We’re willing to bet no one has said that – ever – with the possible exception of a manager instructing employees it’s that time once again. Why? Because it’s not an intrinsically fulfilling task. In fact, those who’ve carried out this job might argue it’s the polar opposite: A dull, repetitive grind they can’t wait to be done with. And then? Two weeks, a month or three months later – they’re back at the same task.

Before we dive into the solution, we offer a shout-out to those who’ve carried this out in the past, or who might still have this on their plate as part of their job description in a major warehouse or large retail operation. We understand, completely, that cycle counting produces valuable, crucial data for your employer that informs high-level decisions on stock replenishment, retail sales, discontinued blow-outs…the list goes on.

But while it’s valuable for the employer, it’s one of those jobs that always fills one or more of the three D’s: Dirty, dull, and dangerous. Dull? You bet. Scanning codes off endless boxes on endless shelves with a handheld scanner is so repetitive that it’s the very definition of dull. Dirty? Well, hopefully not so much (depending on the warehouse). But danger? In most large warehouses, that’s very real. Employees often have to scan not only at ground level but at height. And that means the employee has to be lifted to the same height as the inventory.

Yes, there are occupational health and safety standards that must be met: You can’t send an employee up on a rickety ladder anymore (thank goodness). But – whether using a modified forklift or some other mechanical aid – human beings still have to be lofted up to heights from which a fall could cause serious injury or worse. And when you combine this with the fact that doing a repetitive task can put your brain on autopilot, accidents can and unfortunately do happen.

“Falls are among the most common causes of serious work related injuries and deaths. Employers must set up the work place to prevent employees from falling off of overhead platforms, elevated work stations or into holes in the floor and walls,” says the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

In Canada, the Federal Government tracked 16 workplace fatalities due to falls from height between 2010 and 2014. So now is as good a time as any to share some tips on avoiding workplace slips and falls from the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety – which also informs us that 30 per cent of reported workplace falls are from height.

Slips and Falls CCOHS

THE SOLUTION

 

There’s no question that cycle counting is crucial to any major operation with inventory. There’s also no question that the task is dull and carries some inherent risk. In addition to that, human beings make mistakes – particularly when they’ve been carrying out a highly repetitive task over the course of hours.

Cypher Robotics was formed because of those problems. Specifically, to create a solution to them. That solution is Captis.

Captis is an Autonomous Mobile Robot system that can carry out three separate tasks. It can:

  • scan warehouse inventory, including at height, on missions up to five hours
  • capture RFID tags
  • capture 2D and 3D precision scans

And all of this data? It’s seamlessly and securely uploaded into existing Warehouse Management Software (WMS) in real-time, offering decision-makers both instant and accurate data. Bonus: It never gets tired of the task and it can’t get injured.

 

HOW IT WORKS

 

When it comes to inventory at height in a warehouse situation, Captis has two components that work seamlessly together. The first is that AMR base. Equipped with high-level compute, multiple sensors and a hefty onboard power supply, it can autonomously explore the warehouse. That includes working its way up and down aisles.

But the real magic here is an aerial component. In this configuration, for warehouse cycle counts, Captis is equipped with what we call a “nest.” Instead of a bird, that nest is occupied by a drone. That drone is linked to the base through a tether – which both provides continuous power for the drone (eliminating the need to come back and recharge after brief flights) and also serves for data transfer back to the base.

As Captis works its way down aisles, the drone ascends to height and scans inventory. It doesn’t matter if the product has bar codes, QR or something else – the system is code-agnostic. As the data reaches the base, it’s wirelessly and securely transmitted to integrate with whatever software platform the company uses for cycle counting. After Captis completes a run down an aisle, the drone ascends (or descends) to the next level of stacked inventory at height and Captis goes back for more data. It will keep running for an entire mission – up to five hours – which we’ve found is long enough to capture inventory in a 100,000 square foot warehouse.

Captis is also up for capturing showroom inventory. The ‘nest’ is replaced with a module for sensing and capturing RFID tags. Once again, Captis will autonomously calculate its way around the space, using Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (SLAM) until it has covered the entire showroom floor. And once again, all data is uploaded in real-time.

And let’s not forget precision scans. Having an up-to-date picture of a warehouse or showroom can be incredibly useful for planning purposes – and can be used to track construction projects and even produce a full 3D replica of existing facilities in order to plan the build of a new one. It can also be put to use in showroom spaces to help assess and plan for optimised customer flow. The list goes on.

Captis never asks for breaks and doesn’t require any infrastructure changes. And when a mission comes to a close, it doesn’t ask for assistance, either. Sensing that it’s five-hour run is nearly complete, Captis makes its way to a wireless docking station where its batteries are recharged. It’s then ready for its next mission.

Below: Captis on a deployment in a warehouse

current Captis

REALLY?

 

We know there’s a lot of hype out there. Does Captis really do everything we say it can?

Absolutely. We have a partnership with a major Canadian retailer and have been deployed in one of its many warehouses for more than a year to complete R&D testing. This has resulted in both cost savings for the retailer – which has been able to quickly identify end-of-stock inventory and get it out the door (among other insights) – and further tweaks to maximise the capabilities and human-robot interaction of Captis. We have even deployed it on a showroom RFID inventory capture while customers were on the floor (they find Captis pretty intriguing, and the AMR is programmed to avoid bumping into even distracted customers).

When we launched Captis, there was a lot of buzz. Many companies within North America were keen to explore this solution – and that interest has spread. Recently, CEO Peter King was invited to New Zealand to present and demo the system by the country’s leading telco provider, Spark. And it wasn’t just to bring the robot – it was to form a partnership. Companies like Spark see not only the utility of the Captis system, but feel it’s a perfect platform to fully exploit and demonstrate the value of private 5G networks.

 

WHAT ABOUT JOBS?

 

That’s a good question. Won’t Captis simply displace large numbers of people devoted to cycle counting?

The answer is no. Cycle counting is usually not a full-time task in warehouses. Generally, warehouse staff are assigned to carry out this task in addition to their regular duties. During peak seasons, sometimes additional temporary staff are brought onboard to assist with this repetitive task. Even on short-term contracts, attrition is a common problem.

In the Canadian warehouse where we have been deploying Captis, employees have welcomed the technology – since it frees them up from what was a highly unsatisfying task. No one has complained to us, ever, that they are going to miss carrying out this work.

Below: Cypher Robotics CEO and Founder Peter King doing a demo in New Zealand, followed by an image of the Captis mobile app

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

THE CYPHER PERSPECTIVE

 

This is obviously an exciting time for Cypher Robotics. The company has not only fine-tuned the technology over the past year, but has begun forging partnerships at a global level. The high interest in Captis has exceeded our expectations.

“We developed Captis after carefully examining the needs of companies operating at scale with large inventories,” explains Founder and CEO Peter King.

“There was an extensive consultation process before we began working on this solution. Based on our deployment with our flagship Canadian client – whom we look forward to revealing in the near future – we can state with confidence that Captis is the answer to both code and RFID cycle counting, as well as a seamless method of capturing ongoing precision scans.”

Interested in learning more? Reach out to us 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 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 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 3.0, 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 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

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

Cypher Robotics Captis

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

Peter King GITEX Cypher Robotics Captis

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

Cypher Robotics value prop

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.