China’s Dorabot Launches DoraSorter for FedEx Express
January 27, 2022
China’s Dorabot, which provides robotics solutions for logistics, has announced the launch of DoraSorter, an artificial intelligence-powered sorting robot, in collaboration with FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. The sorting robot represents FedEx Express’ latest push in digitizing its operations and building a smart logistics network to handle growing volumes of e-commerce shipments in the region.
The DoraSorter robot is being deployed at the 5,200-square-meter FedEx South China E-Commerce Shipment Sorting Center in Guangzhou. The robot is already a part of the daily sorting operations and can handle small inbound and outbound packages from e-commerce customers in South China, the company said. The core function of the robot is to sort parcels based on destination, which matches the sorting center’s operation process.
The robot can carry up to 10 kg of packages, and cover up to 100 destinations simultaneously. It is equipped with a special drawer-shaped gripper that can connect with the conveyor belt seamlessly, and includes a barcode reader that scans packages to obtain destination information. It then uses the gripper to receive a package inward from the conveyor belt, and moves it outward to a corresponding destination slot.
“With e-commerce taking center stage in the future of retail in our region, the speed with which a parcel can be picked up and delivered to customers’ doorsteps has become a dominant factor in driving the adoption of sorting robots,” said Kawal Preet, president of the AMEA region at FedEx Express. “Bringing DoraSorter to China as a pilot program is a natural choice for us given it’s the world’s biggest e-commerce market with an expected valuation of $3.3 trillion by 2025. AI-powered technology will continue to change how we support customers in the region and enhance supply chains for the future.”
FedEx said it will continue to leverage advanced technologies to streamline its operations and help customers of all sizes in China and beyond seize opportunities in the global market. Last October, the company teamed up with Neolix to test an autonomous delivery vehicle in China. It is also testing the FedEx SameDay Bot Roxo in the region to explore the future of contactless, last-mile delivery. The company also launched a sensor-based logistics device – SenseAwareID – designed to enhance tracking precision, reliability and timely delivery of critical shipments, such as pharmaceuticals and emergency medical supplies.
For more details on Dorabot, visit the company’s website here.
