While “collaborative robotics” often refers to cobot arms, mobile robots can also work alongside human staffers. In picking, goods-to-person, and other applications, robots can relieve people of the need to walk miles pushing heavy carts while fulfilling e-commerce orders.

In this Special Focus Issue, Robotics 24/7 looks at how automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) can provide efficiency and flexibility, especially for existing warehouses and factories. While such platforms are not yet commoditized, the past few years have seen an increasing focus on software, interoperability, and data.