Ahold Delhaize expands into robotics with TU Delft

Ahold Delhaize said it is partnering with Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in the Netherlands to expand the company's Artificial Intelligence for Retail (AIR) Lab. The expansion comprises a robotics research program and test site for developing state-of-the-art innovations in the retail industry, according to a press release.

This is the first expansion of Ahold Delhaize's AIRLab, an industry-academic collaboration set up to conduct research into AI. By expanding its focus to robotics, AIRLab Delft will further drive innovations for daily business while building more knowledge of the intersection among retail, AI and robotics, according to the retailer.

To ensure these explorations result in tangible solutions, Ahold Delhaize will open a test site where researchers can work with partners, students and start-ups to build and test prototypes of robotic solutions. At the test site, which will be operational in early 2019, they will explore how robotics can be deployed in a retail setting, how robotic grippers can handle delicate items such as fruits and vegetables, or how to improve image-recognition of products and packaging, according to the press release.

"At AIRLab Delft, scientists will study how employees can teach their robots to do repetitive tasks, or develop methods to optimize the motion and coordination of mobile robots and of delivery vehicles,” said Martijn Wisse, director of the TU Delft Robotics Institute and supervisor of AIRLab Delft, in a statement. “This collaboration with Ahold Delhaize allows us to solve real-world challenges by focusing on fundamental issues in robotics, such as how to learn and safely execute tasks in the context of uncertainty, how to safely navigate and interact in environments shared with humans, and how to efficiently and effectively plan the routes of fleets of last-mile delivery.” 

Frans Muller, president and CEO of Ahold Delhaize, said the rapid advancements in AI and robotics provide Ahold Delhaize with significant opportunities to make everyday shopping even easier for its customers and develop new solutions for its warehouses and last-mile delivery.

“Working together with academic partners such as TU Delft will enable Ahold Delhaize and AIRLab to shape a technology-driven world in a responsible way,” Muller said in a statement. “It helps us become a frontrunner in AI research and development for retail and ultimately build capabilities that are scalable for the group.”