Ocado’s highly automated Luton warehouse uses hundreds of “Grid” robots to move groceries, with minimal human supervision and remote tech support. The latest upgrade adds On-Grid Robotic Pick (OGRP) arms, which can pack around 40% of orders using suction cups and cameras, with a goal of 80% in 2–3 years via new grippers.
Robots have learned to handle tricky items like bags of oranges without being explicitly trained, thanks to improved AI. Ocado is also working on automating tasks like unloading shipments and loading delivery trollies, though last-mile delivery will likely stay human-led for now.
Future plans focus on lighter, cheaper, more energy-efficient robots and AI smart enough to handle rare edge cases, aiming to further reduce reliance on human labor in partner grocery operations.
Source: The Verge
