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ARTICLE · 23 OCTOBER 2013

Out Of The Box - Volume 1, Issue 2, September 2013

Morrison Foerster
Morrison Foerster
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Morrison Foerster

Morrison Foerster

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The motors whirred as a robotic trolley sped down the long warehouse alleyway.

United StatesConsumer Protection
Thomas Knox
Thomas Knox
Tiffany Cheung
Tiffany Cheung
Julie O'Neill
Julie O'Neill
Alistair Maughan
Alistair Maughan
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FROM FLYING ROBOTS TO LOGISTICS BLISS: A CASE STUDY

By Thomas J. Knox

The motors whirred as a robotic trolley sped down the long warehouse alleyway. As it went it rose ever higher in the ten-story tower, lifted by cables and pulleys. The trolley's mechanical arm picked a box from the rack suspended fifty feet above the warehouse floor and deposited it in a bin on its back. Within a minute the trolley returned to its starting point with its precious cargo.

This automated, robot-driven warehouse facility was a technological wonder 25 years ago when it was built by a multinational pharmaceuticals company. It stood on the company's main U.S. campus as a showcase and was a favorite stop for visitors on campus tours. Tour guides explained that almost all of the company's U.S. inventory spent time on these shelves before being shipped to destinations throughout the country.

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