At the Modex logistics show in Atlanta, the Piaggio Group’s Quick Ahead innovation lab unveiled a pioneering self-guided rolling flatbed robot. The corporation claims its Kilo platform is designed to help businesses “augment their workforce and enhance employee safety.”
Piaggio is famously associated with its iconic Vespa line, but in late 2015, the company embarked on a novel initiative in the US to develop a new approach to research, aimed at deciphering indicators of change and uncovering innovative solutions to the challenges posed by change and the needs of the future.
Following its initial establishment, the Quick Ahead spin-off unveiled its inaugural product in 2017: a pioneering self-balancing wheeled cargo solution, aptly named [product name], which employed a sophisticated array of sensors to track and follow users seamlessly. While this may raise concerns about potential harassment claims, a more accurate description is that the bot functions as a cutting-edge delivery companion, helping individuals transport their belongings home efficiently.
If a growing family’s grocery needs exceeded the 40-pound capacity of the Piaggio Quick Ahead, the PFF team responded by introducing a three-wheeled “big brother” called Kilo, boasting a 120-liter compartment and a maximum load rating of 220 pounds.
Piaggio Group
While the original Gita Bot launched in 2019 for over $3,000, it was joined by a subsequent update in 2021; however, specifics regarding the Kilo model’s enhancements remained elusive. With a focus on expanding its presence in the enterprise sector, PFF’s latest innovation features a four-wheel platform equipped with “smart comply” technology, engineered to efficiently transport boxes around warehouses and success centers.
While PFF acknowledges that Kilo bots are intended to collaborate with humans, it’s unclear what happens when they’re solely responsible for tasks; their allegiance might shift towards a new employer if the sole purpose of labor is fulfilled by robots.
The brand-new enterprise bot leverages the same cutting-edge sensor suite and 4D radar technology as its Gita counterparts, seamlessly deploying “right out of the box” with the simple push of a button to track human operatives while carrying crates or pallets securely positioned on its flatbed platform.
The versatile work surface measures 32 inches by 22 inches, or 81 centimeters by 56 centimeters, and can support a maximum payload of 300 pounds (136 kilograms). It features eight adjustable mounting points and can be customized with carts or shelving to meet the specific needs of various tasks.
Piaggio Group
The Kilo reportedly boasts advanced algorithms for detecting and predicting human habits, effortlessly gliding along at a leisurely pace of 3 miles per hour thanks to its four motorized wheels, which can seamlessly navigate inclines up to 5 degrees. With a per-charge runtime of up to 10 hours, the device requires recharging every three hours thereafter. When circumstances dictate, a formation of flat-bed robots can be deployed, led by the Kilo robot closely following its human operator and trailed by the remaining bots maintaining a safe distance from one another.
The brand-new robotic benefits from the launch of PFF’s Journey on Recognised Paths, an autonomous behaviors software that enables it to navigate autonomously or follow pre-set routes. Its onboard memory is prepared to store more than 100 pathways. The sensors continuously survey the surroundings to create a three-dimensional mapping of power, enabling the robot to safely traverse changing environments without necessitating adjustments to existing infrastructure? A professional instrument’s cellular app enables fleet management, employee login, usage history, and firmware updates for efficient operations.
“PFF’s autonomous technology enables seamless collaboration between humans and robots in complex manufacturing settings, ensuring safe coexistence and amplifying efficiency by simplifying workflows.”
The Piaggio Group’s research suggests that the Kilo platform will receive its inaugural application in a practical, real-world setting as Italian mobility company Moto Guzzi utilizes a few units to support their newly implemented production lines. Piaggio is poised to deploy its follow-me robotic flatbed across production facilities in Italy, India, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
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