Glossary

An AGV (automated guided vehicle) is a driverless vehicle that follows a fixed route physically marked on the floor: magnetic tape, a buried wire or QR codes.

An AMR (autonomous mobile robot) is a vehicle that navigates on its own: it builds a map of its environment with laser sensors and cameras, locates itself in it and decides its route in real time, avoiding people and obstacles with no physical guides on the floor.

Assisted autonomy is the middle level between an autonomous robot and a teleoperated one: the machine works alone 95-99% of the time and asks a human supervisor for help when it hits a case it doesn’t understand.

Goods-to-person is the warehouse model in which robots bring the shelf or product to a fixed station where the worker waits, instead of the person walking to the goods.

A humanoid robot is a robot with a human form (two legs, two arms, a torso) designed to work in spaces built for people without adapting them: the same doors, stairs and tools.

RaaS (robot-as-a-service) is the business model in which robots are rented for a monthly fee instead of purchased: the maker keeps ownership and support, and the customer turns the investment into operating expense.

SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping) is the technique that lets a robot build the map of a place and know where it is within that map at the same time, using lasers or cameras.

Teleoperation is the control of a robot by a person at a distance: the operator sees through the robot’s sensors and decides every action, using a controller, a headset or a motion-capture suit.