BATTLE CREEK, Mich. –
Defense Logistics Agency Disposition Services Research and Development Branch focuses on ways to develop and deliver new capabilities through applied technologies and innovative solutions to enhance agency capabilities.
DLA Disposition Services is collaborating with DLA R&D, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to test an autonomous floor scrubber in a warehouse setting.
“After attending an automate conference and witnessing the strides in warehouse automation post pandemic with the gains of automation and robotics, I saw an opportunity to reassess the tasks we do in our warehouses which are dull-dirty or dangerous,” said DLA Disposition Services Process Engineering Improvements Office Don Helle. “DLA Disposition Services is at a pivot point in warehouse modernization. We have two of the very best robot engineers from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a dedicated representative from DLA-HQ R&D Dr. Imes Chiu, me and the complete support from our executive leadership to optimize our warehouse production with a safer and cleaner work environment.”
The robotic floor cleaner nicknamed “Rosie the Robot,” uses water to scrub the floors and eliminates the need for floor cleaning solutions. Additionally, the machine will maneuver around obstacles, decreasing the amount of human intervention, and allowing employees to shift focus on mission functions.
“The testing period has been great,” DLA Disposition Services Richmond Area Manager Raymond Johnson said. “We are seeing the BrainOS technology maneuver the scrubber with the agility to avoid obstacles by inches. The machine has stopped to avoid impact and reset itself to find alternate routes to continue to move forward with its cleaning assignment. My team and myself challenge the scrubber every day to drive in difficulty patterns thru an ever-changing warehouse floor.”
The new endeavor is funded by USACE while DLA Disposition Services is providing the environmental testing space and workforce necessary for evaluation. After the testing period, USACE Engineer Research and Development Center will assess the data and provide a recommendation to DLA Disposition Services Director, based on the organization’s needs.
“If this test at DLA Disposition Services Richmond site turns out favorable, there is a stretch goal of replacing our manual floor sweepers with autonomous floor scrubbers throughout our inventory,” Helle said.