Lynx autonomous indoor vehicle promises materials handling boost

Unlike some other AIVs, it doesn’t require floor magnets, navigational beacons, or any other modifications to its environment

If you’re in charge of a parts warehouse, a distribution center, or some other big building full of things that need to be moved around, the Adept Lynx might be just what you need. Made by California-based Adept Technology, the autonomous indoor vehicle (AIV) is able to find its own way as it carries cargo from point to point, within “challenging environments.”

According to the company, such environments could include confined passageways, or areas with people moving about. The Lynx plans its basic route using a map programmed into it by the user, but is also able to spontaneously avoid random obstacles via onboard sensors. It can additionally be programmed to respond to specific voice cues or other audio prompts.

Unlike some other AIVs, it doesn’t require floor magnets, navigational beacons, or any other modifications to its environment – Adept claims that this could save users up to 15 percent in deployment costs. Fraunhofer’s Multishuttle Moves warehouse robots are similarly self-sufficient.