Cartken, an autonomous robotics company, has launched its Hauler mobile robot, which is described as “a robust, highly maneuverable robot with increased payload capacity designed to automate mixed outdoor/indoor environment material handling for manufacturing facilities, warehouses, distribution centers, corporate campuses, and life sciences environments”.
Cartken highlights with this launch its growing focus on solutions beyond last-mile delivery, tackling a critical gap in industrial and onsite logistics automation: seamless material handling across complex, mixed environments, multiple levels, and diverse terrains.
Christian Bersch, CEO and co-founder of Cartken, says: “Today’s intralogistics operations demand material handling solutions that can adapt seamlessly across environments. Cartken Hauler does exactly that.
“We are building on our autonomous robot technology and AI models trained on hundreds of thousands of last-mile delivery miles.
“We now transfer this technology to industrial and onsite logistics automation, meeting our customers’ demand for a robust robotic transport solution that can operate in more challenging environments and is much faster to deploy than traditional mobile robots.
“The Hauler represents a new era of material handling – one that offers cost-effective indoor and outdoor goods movement without special infrastructure.”
Cartken Hauler is designed for industries that demand dynamic, efficient material transport, handling everything from inventory and samples to tools and documents.
It combines advanced AI-powered camera-based autonomy with rugged, all-terrain capabilities, ensuring reliable operation in even the most demanding environments, and navigates safely around people.
Key features of Cartken Hauler:
- All-Terrain Capability: Smoothly navigates uneven concrete, gravel, pebbles, grass, asphalt, dirt, tile, and carpet for seamless indoor & outdoor operations.
- All-Weather & Day/Night Navigation: Operates reliably in rain, sun, snow, and extreme temperatures from -4 °F to 122 °F (-20 °C to +50 °C). Advanced perception sensors enable navigation in any lighting conditions, 24/7.
- Integration with existing systems: Fully autonomous end-to-end deliveries across multiple floor levels, with integration for elevators, gates, doors, and software systems.
Robust performance:
- Load capacity: 660 lbs (300 kg) on flat surfaces and 550 lbs (250 kg) on 10° slopes.
- Top speed of 4.5 mph (7.2 km/h) with a zero-point turning radius and omni-directional steering.
- Autonomous charging dock with 16+ hours of runtime and a 4-hour recharge time.
- Flexible Cargo Options: Available with a flat base, shelf, enclosed, and temperature-controlled compartments capable of maintaining from -112 °F to +212°F (-80 °C to +100 °C).
- Fast and Infrastructure-Free Deployment: Fully operational within 7 days. It fits right into your operations—no major modifications required.
A new generation of industrial transport robots
Traditional mobile robot solutions often lack the flexibility required for complex industrial environments:
- AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles): Operate on fixed paths guided by wires, magnets, or ground markings. They cannot adapt routes on the fly, requiring heavy infrastructure investment and offering little flexibility when workflows change.
- AMRs (Autonomous Mobile Robots): Feature dynamic path planning using onboard sensors but are typically limited to 2D indoor navigation. They demand medium infrastructure investment and have limited capabilities to operate outdoors.
- Both AGVs and AMRs share a critical weakness: they struggle with uneven ground, ramps, curbs, and weather-exposed areas.
Bersch adds: “Unlike traditional mobile robots, Cartken Hauler was designed to overcome these challenges from the start.
“It offers the flexibility and robustness that industrial players need to manage material handling seamlessly across outdoor and indoor environments.”
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