The trend of Stationary Robotics consists of all robots that perform value-added tasks from a fixed location. Attached to the floor, ceiling, or other surfaces, these devices often take the form of or resemble robotic arms.
The first stationary robots were introduced in the late 1950s, primarily in manufacturing and automotive production. However, with advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and sensor technologies in recent years, application in the logistics industry has expanded significantly today. Stationary robots can be divided into two types, collaborative robots, which are designed for flexible applications that require interaction with humans, and industrial robots, which are mainly used in applications that require a high payload, long range, and high speed, and usually operate in a segregated area surrounded by security fences. However, even when using collaborative robots, safety measures should be reviewed before use to ensure the health and safety of workers. The increasing prevalence of stationary robots indicates that in future humans will handle fewer monotonous tasks and the focus will shift to collaboration and task sharing between humans and machines.
Especially in light of warehouse labor shortages and demand volatility, many logistics companies are realizing the significant economic potential of implementing stationary robots for repetitive processes. Currently, many companies across all industries are testing stationary robotic solutions and discovering the most promising applications for their logistics operations. Based on this experience and the anticipated further development of stationary robotics hardware and software, we here at DHL expect in 1 to 3 years companies will be able to extensively scale these solutions. This will have a high impact on the logistics industry.
