Innovator is creating new jobs that make work in industrial environments safer and more efficient.
08-11-2020
SAN ANTONIO, TX — Plus One Robotics is creating new career opportunities that will help streamline the operations in global industrial settings such as manufacturing sites and e-commerce sorting facilities.
The Port-based innovator is introducing human supervisors, known as Crew Chiefs, who rely on their quick reflexes, problem-solving skills and video gaming acumen to remotely supervise automation networks that utilize robots equipped with Plus One's artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Part of the firm's Yonder Project, which enables robots to be human-assisted from anywhere in the world via cameras and the cloud, the Crew Chiefs help the robots 'learn' new tasks and handle a variety of situations while increasing their efficiency and productivity. One Crew Chief can supervise dozens of robots globally.
While supervised autonomy is not a new concept, applying it remotely and at scale in a way that connects inflexible autonomous systems and direct human control — as Plus One is doing — is revolutionizing industrial operations. If a robot encounters a situation it does not understand, it can simply ask the Crew Chief for help.
Thanks to Plus One's technology, logistics companies can now cope with labor shortages and high turnover rates that result from laborious and monotonous warehouse jobs. Additionally, having the robot complete these repetitive tasks allows team members to focus on higher value and more productive work, such as supervision and robotics operations.
Recently, Plus One implemented its groundbreaking AI technology into the operations of one of FedEx's busiest facilities.
In the latest installment of the Port's webinar series Building Futures: On the Leading Edge of Innovation, Plus One Robotics CEO and Co-founder Erik Nieves discussed developments in logistics robots, the implications of those innovations for employers and the impact of San Antonio's unique business, tech and education climate on the city's resiliency during the COVID-19 crisis.
Other panelists include:
- Grace Jimenez, Plus One Robotics, Robot Crew Chief
- Sean Attwood, Vice President of Technology Development, San Antonio Economic Development Foundation
- Iris Gonzalez, Publisher, Startups San Antonio
- Jim Perschbach, President and CEO, Port San Antonio—the large technology innovation campus where Knight is based.
