Abstract

        Automatic warehouses are becoming more popular because of new automation technology. Robots are used to improve the storing and retrieving of packages in a warehouse while also lowering employee costs. These robots work more efficiently in dark warehouses where there is almost no human involvement. This lowers the warehouse costs because maintaining favorable working conditions for humans is not needed. Costs will go down further from lowering the price of human labor. The design of the warehouse is modeled after Toyota's car assembly warehouse, where robots retrieve parts for an assembly line when they are running low at their station.
        We were tasked with creating a robot able to track, receive, and store packages in a dark warehouse. The performance will be partially autonomous, meaning the robot requires instructions but will otherwise carry out its tasks without human help. The robot is designed to lift packages up to 25 pounds with a forklift-type lifting mechanism. The lifting mechanism will include a motor, pulley, and gearbox combination for moving the forks up and down. The packages will be stored on pallets to make lifting them easier. QR codes, a readable picture that stores information, will be placed on the packages to identify them. An attached camera can find and translate the code on the package. Black lines placed around the warehouse map out the path the AGV can follow. The system's navigation is dependent on line detecting sensors, which will help the robot follow the path. The warehouse will also have QR codes placed at different locations along the black line path so the robot can know its position. To test the robot, a scaled down warehouse that has black lines, QR codes, and packages will be built.