Ambi Robotics deploying parcel sorting robots at OSM warehouses

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Ambi Robotics is deploying its parcel-sorting robots at OSM Worldwide’s warehouses in the U.S. Based on the minimum four-year robots-as-a-service (RAAS) deal, the flagship AmbiSort A-Series system will be installed at OSM warehouses in Atlanta, Chicago, and Las Vegas.

The AmbiSort A-Series is a configurable robotic sorting system that uses machine learning to adapt to mixed parcels like polybags, flats and boxes into last-mile mailsacks. The systems are modular and configurable to accept parcels via rolling bin or the new conveyor-fed automated induction system.

AmbiSort is powered by AmbiOS, the company’s proprietary operating system that leverages simulation-to-reality (Sim2Real) artificial intelligence (AI). AmbiOS is based on The Dexterity Network (Dex-Net) project that was developed at UC Berkeley to automate the training of deep neural networks to improve a robot’s ability to grasp various items. Many of Dex-Net’s developers are now working at Ambi Robotics.

According to Ambi Robotics, AmbiSort systems are first designed and trained in simulation, which speeds up training 10,000x faster than teaching algorithms in the physical world.

“At OSM Worldwide, we are always looking for ways to improve our sorting and delivery operations, and we’re excited to partner with Ambi Robotics to empower our workforce with cutting-edge technology across our warehouses,” said James Kelley, president at OSM Worldwide. “With the AmbiSort A-Series systems, we can improve order accuracy and speed to our ecommerce customers while improving efficiency and safety for our warehouse employees amid rising parcel demand.”

Ambi Robotics’ AmbiSort parcel sortation system. | Credit: Ambi Robotics

Ambi Robotics raised a $32 million funding round in October 2022. The company has now raised about $67 million since it was founded in 2018. It closed a $26 million Series A in September 2021.

Ambi said it deployed an additional 60 robots to its U.S. customer base in under 60 days ahead of the 2022 peak holiday season. It said its robotic sorting systems are being used in more than 13 cities across the U.S. Pitney Bowes, a global shipping and mailing company, is another high-profile customer for Ambi. The company’s recently signed a $23 million expansion deal that would bring AmbiSort systems to additional warehouse locations.

Jeff Mahler, co-founder and CTO of Ambi Robotics, will be speaking at the Robotics Summit & Expo, which takes place May 10-11 in Boston. Mahler will be on the panel “Innovation in Robotic Grasping” to discuss emerging approaches to robotic manipulation, including the work being done at Ambi.