Robots at a Tipping Point in the Supply Chain
As the needs of manufacturing and logistics grow exponentially, the supply chain industry will be one of the first to reap the benefits of the robotic revolution.
“If man ever flies, it will not be within our lifetime, not within a thousand years.”—Wilbur Wright, 1901
Just two years after making the above comment to his brother Orville, the Wrights made the world’s first powered aircraft flight. How could someone so close to the tipping point, arguably the most influential person in aeronautical history, not know that success was within reach?
I experienced a similar phenomenon in my own career in robotics when I was a graduate student at the University of Florida. In 2004, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the government group best known for fostering the Internet, challenged the robotics world to race unmanned vehicles 150 miles through the Mojave Desert. No one had ever built a robot that could drive by itself through that much off-road terrain. It was called the DARPA Grand Challenge.
My professor decided that our research lab would compete in the race. Over 100 teams attempted the challenge; only 15 were able to get robots to the starting line, and none made it through more than five percent of the course. It was a complete failure. Most robots veered off track and crashed, some got stuck and ran their engines until catching fire. Ours plowed itself through barbed wire until it tangled itself to death. We made the most of the experience, but we couldn’t help but feel defeated that day. I remember saying to my teammates that it would be many years before anyone would complete the challenge. No one disagreed.
This complete article is available to subscribers
only. Click on Log In Now at the top of this article for full access. Or, Start your PLUS+ subscription for instant access. |
Latest News
Are Your Data Visualizations Readable by Everyone? Supply Chains Facing New Pressures as Companies Seek Cost Savings February retail sales see annual and sequential gains, reports Commerce and NRF A Hoarding Explanation for the Post-COVID Inflation for Goods Digital Approaches, End-to-End Thinking Help Supply Chains Evolve More NewsLatest Resource
Vendor Evaluation Questionnaire for RFPs Don't miss out on the perfect Yard and Dock management software for your warehouse operations. Save time and stress with this handy Toolkit.All Resources
Download Article PDF |
“If man ever flies, it will not be within our lifetime, not within a thousand years.”—Wilbur Wright, 1901
Just two years after making the above comment to his brother Orville, the Wrights made the world’s first powered aircraft flight. How could someone so close to the tipping point, arguably the most influential person in aeronautical history, not know that success was within reach?
I experienced a similar phenomenon in my own career in robotics when I was a graduate student at the University of Florida. In 2004, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the government group best known for fostering the Internet, challenged the robotics world to race unmanned vehicles 150 miles through the Mojave Desert. No one had ever built a robot that could drive by itself through that much off-road terrain. It was called the DARPA Grand Challenge.
My professor decided that our research lab would compete in the race. Over 100 teams attempted the challenge; only 15 were able to get robots to the starting line, and none made it through more than five percent of the course. It was a complete failure. Most robots veered off track and crashed, some got stuck and ran their engines until catching fire. Ours plowed itself through barbed wire until it tangled itself to death. We made the most of the experience, but we couldn’t help but feel defeated that day. I remember saying to my teammates that it would be many years before anyone would complete the challenge. No one disagreed.
SUBSCRIBERS: Click here to download PDF of the full article. |
Subscribe to Supply Chain Management Review Magazine!
Subscribe today. Don't Miss Out!Get in-depth coverage from industry experts with proven techniques for cutting supply chain costs and case studies in supply chain best practices.
Start Your Subscription Today!
Article Topics
It’s high time to go beyond visibility Driving supply chain flexibility in an uncertain and volatile world View More From this Issue