Third Wave Automation develops a Shared Autonomy Platform that combines cloud robotics and machine learning to enhance material handling with autonomous forklifts. This technology addresses labor shortages in warehousing by enabling one operator to manage multiple autonomous units, resulting in significant cost reductions and improved safety.
Funding
$96M raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
Founders
Product
Problem
Warehouses and distribution centers face significant labor shortages and high operational costs associated with material handling. Traditional forklift operations require skilled operators, leading to recruitment and retention challenges, while also posing safety risks in dynamic environments.
Solution
Third Wave Automation offers a Shared Autonomy Platform that combines cloud robotics and machine learning to automate forklift operations, addressing labor shortages and improving efficiency. Their autonomous forklifts, managed by a single remote operator, enable significant cost reductions and enhanced safety. The system adapts to dynamic warehouse conditions, continuously improving performance through machine learning, and integrates a fleet management system for streamlined workflows and real-time monitoring. This approach allows human operators to focus on high-value tasks and resolve exceptions remotely, ensuring continuous improvement without operational downtime.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes warehouses, distribution centers, and logistics companies seeking to reduce labor costs, improve safety, and increase the efficiency of their material handling operations.
Features
- Autonomous reach trucks equipped with 360° 3D perception for safe navigation in dynamic environments
- ArmadaFMS fleet management system for remote monitoring, workflow execution, and dynamic zone configuration
- Remote exception handling and remote operation capabilities for resolving issues and maintaining operational flow
- Continuous learning through recorded question/answer scenarios, improving system performance over time
- Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) model with a fixed monthly subscription fee, including 24/7 customer support
- Payload size, weight, and nesting detection for safe payload handling and transport
- Compliance with ANSI/ITSDF B56.5 and ISO 3691-4 safety standards
- Integration with existing warehouse management systems