OTTO Motors, a provider of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) has announced the availability of OTTO Lifter, what the company calls the smartest autonomous forklift on the market.

With the addition of OTTO Lifter and its ability to pick up and drop off pallets autonomously, OTTO Motors claims it now has the most comprehensive offering of material handling robots available.

OTTO Lifter is a smart autonomous forklift that easily navigates through crowded and dynamic environments and improves safety in warehouses and facilities. With advanced safety sensors and autonomous driving capabilities, OTTO Lifter works alongside people, other vehicles, and existing infrastructure providing businesses a safer material handling solution for as low as $9 per hour. The autonomous forklift is compatible with the entire OTTO Motors fleet of AMRs through OTTO Motors’ Fleet Manager.

Source: OTTO Motors

Built on OTTO Motors’ industry-leading platform for autonomous materials handling, OTTO Lifter’s autonomy software makes intelligent, real-time decisions. With dynamic path planning, lane tending, intelligent pallet detection and stretch wrap piercing, OTTO Lifter seamlessly navigates traffic and obstacles to deliver materials to the right place, at the right time.

“OTTO Lifter can make real-time decisions in complex environments,” said OTTO Motors’ VP of product Jay Judkowitz. “Unlike other autonomous forklifts in the market, OTTO Lifter can find a pallet if skewed, adapt behavior in highly dynamic environments, and choose the best route on its own.”

Some of OTTO Lifter’s advantages include:

• Adaptability: OTTO Lifter has no problem dealing with dynamic work zones to navigate safely through high traffic areas and intelligently move at speed through low traffic zones. Route optimization is completely autonomous and integrates seamlessly with the design workflows specific to customer needs.
• Precision: OTTO Lifter intelligently determines if a pallet is properly seated, if it is centered or skewed, and whether stretch wrap is covering entry notches. OTTO Lifter can also match its speed to the environment; speeding up when safe to do so and slowing down accordingly.
• Safety: Advanced safety sensors paired with OTTO’s class-leading autonomous driving capabilities reduces risk of workplace safety incidents. OTTO Lifter works safely alongside people, existing infrastructure and other vehicles.
• Maintenance: OTTO Lifter is built with off-the-shelf parts so maintenance is easy to do with little downtime.
• Set-up: OTTO Lifter is easy to install and is up and running from day one.
• Specs: 2,640 lb (1,200 kg) payload capacity; 3.4 mph (1.5 m/s) travel speed; 106 inch (2.7 m) reach height (30 inch/0.69 m in autonomous mode)

When traditional forklifts are on site, they account for 10% of all physical injuries in those workplaces, an average of 85 deaths annually, and nearly 35,000 serious injuries in the U.S. alone. Meanwhile, 70% of all industrial accidents are caused by operator error, according to the National Safety Council. OTTO Motors has three million hours of material handling driving experience with zero safety incidents.