With the distribution and warehousing landscape changing and growing at a significant rate, we at the Austin Lighthouse knew that we were going to have to grow and change with it in order to remain competitive. At the same time, we did not want to implement modifications that would reduce the number of or negatively impact our employees. The solution we came up with was certainly out of the box, four boxes that is.
Last week four new Fetch robots rolled out onto the warehouse floor and began their jobs. These four new employees will be responsible for taking the leg work out of daily warehousing tasks. Instead of walking eight miles a day while performing their tasks, robots will be taking product back and forth while employees are able to continue working in the aisles.
This will boost the efficiency of each worker, increasing throughput while reducing strain. The changes will also enable our employees with limited mobility, who were perhaps previously unable to work in the expansive warehouse environment, to take on broader responsibilities and learn new skills.
As we look towards the future, the Austin Lighthouse continues to seek ways to improve the lives and capabilities of those that are blind and visually impaired.
Watch the robots in action: