Deus Robotics’ all-in-one warehouse automation solution provides AI-powered robots and an AI brain to manage any type of warehouse robot from a single platform.”
Robot-driven logistics industry
Q&A with Founder and CEO Pavlo Pikulin | Deus Robotics
Tell us a bit about yourself and why you decided to start a robotics company.
It all started when my dad, who was a huge tech geek, bought me a computer before I was born, which was a big deal in 1989, since owning a personal computer was rare where I grew up.
I wrote my first computer program when I was 5. When I was 7, I sold my first website for $20 and moved on to manufacturing and selling computers. When I was 13, I wrote a program to bypass a CAPTCHA in a game, which later became an automatic license plate recognition solution.
By the time I was 15, I realized that the future would be robot-driven. This solidified my goal of working in the robotics and AI field.
But there was one small problem: I didn’t have enough money to start my own robotics company at the time. So, at the age of 19, I started a game studio, which was a huge success; in a few years, we grew from 2 employees to 700. Today, the company has over 60 million users worldwide, and our games top the download charts in the US.
During that time, I kept thinking about robotics. I always believed that robots could make the world a better place, but only a few people around me shared that belief. However, I knew that robots could take over the tasks that were physically demanding, mundane or dangerous for us, so that we could do more fulfilling work, i.e., do whatever we want to do.
By late 2018, I had saved up enough money to start my own robotics company. I did my research and founded Deus Robotics in 2019.
What sets Deus Robotics apart from other warehouse robotics companies?
Unlike other warehouse robotics companies, we developed the most important part of the robot: the robot’s brain. This AI-powered brain can connect with any robot manufacturer, including ours – a unique capability in the industry.
This interoperability is essential: warehouses require different types of robots, often from multiple manufacturers, to perform different tasks. These robots can’t be synchronized, making them difficult to manage centrally. It also makes scaling automation impossible.
This is where our solution comes in: it enables warehouses to optimally operate as many robots as they need through a single system.
Moreover, our solution is an all-in-one solution that includes two key elements: robots that power 90% (and growing) of logistics use cases, and an AI platform to manage them.
Do you agree with the statement “Robot automation will increase my workload”? Why or why not?
I think it’s fair to divide warehouse workers into two groups.
The first are warehouse workers, who are directly involved in the transportation of goods. For them, automation with robots will significantly reduce the physically demanding, monotonous and often grueling work. In fact, some people believe that automation and robotization may be necessary to reduce the strain on human physical and mental health. And they are absolutely right: with the help of robots, warehouse workers will no longer have to walk 10 kilometers every day. Instead, robots will bring the goods to them.
Additionally, warehouse workers will gain skills in robot operation to enhance their warehouse expertise, which will allow them to earn higher wages while reducing physical labor.
Warehouse managers can do more with fewer people. It’s no secret that the warehousing industry is seeing a lot of people quitting their jobs. For example, in the United States, employee turnover reached 49% in 2022. People quitting means constant hiring and training, which is very time-consuming and costly. With robots, warehouse managers can maintain the same throughput with fewer employees. What’s more, robots are deployed once and never quit. They can work as long as they need to.
Why is connectivity important in warehouse robotics automation?
My short answer is, no more compromises!
Usually, robots from a single manufacturer can only cover part of a warehouse’s automation needs. This means that warehouse managers have no choice but to partner with multiple manufacturers to cover all their needs. But here’s the catch: robots from different manufacturers work on different systems and cannot be synchronized in one warehouse zone. For example, if you need to move a shelf and then take an item from it, this cannot be done efficiently. Usually, this requires two robots from different manufacturers.
So warehouse managers are forced to make a compromise. They have no choice but to choose which processes to automate. Correction: There was no choice. Because that’s exactly where our solution comes in. Our solution is a single system that seamlessly integrates with any robot, including ours, to maximize efficiency. Your warehouse only needs to integrate with our system once. Then we’ll integrate (or replace) and centrally manage any number of warehouse robots, now and in the future.
How do warehouse managers know when to start using robots for automation?
1,000 operations per day is the minimum benchmark to justify robotic automation.
However, there are more complex approaches.
First, you need to evaluate how many different tasks take place in your warehouse. Then, you need to identify which tasks involve the most human resources. Finally, you need to calculate the return on investment for automating this process. The return on investment may vary, since robots are more efficient in warehouses that operate 24/7. In such warehouses, automation requires fewer goods because the robots can work nonstop.
But don’t worry, your provider should be able to easily calculate the ROI of robotic automation.
What are the biggest hurdles warehouse leaders face when implementing automation robots, and how can they overcome them?
From what I’ve seen, the biggest challenge is figuring out how to use robots with maximum efficiency. At Deus Robotics, we have a three-step process for finding the right approach:
First, we create a digital twin of your warehouse, emulating all processes including people, robots and goods.
Our experts then suggest various robot automation strategies based on the client’s needs.
Third, test these strategies for a month to find the best solution.
The second challenge is integrating the warehouse and robot management systems. This process is always time-consuming, especially if you have two or three different robot management systems. It is also difficult if you need to switch robot manufacturers. In this case, you have to go through the whole integration process again, which is costly and takes at least six months. Usually, no one does this because it is too difficult. Instead, warehouse leaders choose only one robot manufacturer.
The third challenge is training the personnel. The solution is regular workshops and training sessions. Safety protocols also need to be implemented.
What do you think of the future of a robot-driven logistics industry?
I believe that the introduction of robots will reduce the cost per job, which will be a big boost to the logistics industry. Also, we will see more robot-powered warehouses and they will be easier to scale. It will take just one week to set up such a warehouse.
Warehouse logistics will be integrated with external robotic logistics, which will include delivery by autonomous trucks, vehicles, robots and drones. The entire delivery of a product or package from manufacturer to recipient will be fully automated.
So, in a nutshell, robots will make our future much better.
The content and opinions in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of RoboticsTomorrow.
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