Automating Material Handling with AI-Powered Robots: Arshan Poursohi - CEO, Third Wave Automation

In the latest episode of the AI in Manufacturing podcast on Industry 4.0 TV, host Kudzai Manditereza sits down with Ashan Posohi, CEO and co-founder of Third Wave Automation, to explore how AI-powered robots are transforming material handling. The focus is on autonomous forklifts and their impact on productivity, safety, and the future of manufacturing.

Arshan Poursohi brings a rich background in robotics and research, having worked with Sun Microsystems, Google Research, and Toyota Research. His experiences exposed him to global labor challenges, such as aging workforces and a shortage of young people entering physically demanding jobs. Recognizing the urgent need to address these issues, Arshan founded Third Wave Automation to apply modern AI and robotics solutions to material handling in warehouses and manufacturing environments.

The Business Benefits of AI-Powered Robots

The discussion highlights how AI and robotics are revolutionizing the manufacturing industry by automating "dull, dirty, and dangerous" tasks.

Key benefits include:

• Increased Productivity: Operators can manage an entire fleet of autonomous forklifts from a single workstation, significantly boosting the number of pallets moved per day.
• Enhanced Safety: By removing operators from hazardous environments, the risk of workplace accidents decreases.
• Immediate ROI: Third Wave Automation's as-a-service model allows companies to see immediate returns, with predictable uptime and reduced labor costs.

Shared Autonomy: A Unique Approach

Third Wave Automation introduces the concept of shared autonomy or human-in-the-loop machine learning. Unlike fully autonomous systems that aim for "lights out" operations, this approach keeps humans in the loop:

• Collaborative Operations: Robots perform tasks but can recognize when human intervention is needed, such as when a payload is precariously positioned.
• Continuous Learning: Human inputs help train the AI models in real-time, improving performance and adapting to new scenarios.
• User-Friendly Interface: Operators control robots using familiar tools like steering wheels and screens, making the system accessible even to those without advanced technical skills.

Real-World Impact: A Compelling Case Study

Arshan shares a success story involving a customer who deals with large bags of powder prone to shifting—a challenge for automation due to safety concerns. Using shared autonomy, the autonomous forklifts learned to handle these unstable payloads safely and efficiently:

• Adaptive Learning: The AI models quickly adapted to recognize when human assistance was needed.
• Safety Assurance: Operators could intervene remotely, ensuring safe handling without halting operations.
• Productivity Gains: The customer saw immediate improvements in efficiency and safety, validating the effectiveness of Third Wave Automation's approach.

Listen to the full episode to learn more.