Indian Robotics: Rise of AI Automation Solutions

New Delhi, Apr 7 (PTI) Enterprises looking for integration of AI-based automation systems in various business operations are preferring home-grown robotic solutions over global competitors, according to industry players.

Those engaged in logistics, warehousing and retail chain management have been scrambling for artificial intelligence-based automated solutions at a time when the competition is intense for quick and cost-effective delivery of products and services, irrespective of order quantity and distance.

Made-in-India robots come with the ease of customisation and implementation flexibility with different applications having unique requirements, said Sheshadri P V, Executive Vice President of Reliance Retail, which has integrated automation in grocery and fashion & lifestyle verticals.

"Grocery has limited SKUs (Stock Keeping Units) but fashion comes with much more complexities in terms of SKUs which need to be managed. Technologies for both of them would be different," he explained.

Noida-based company Addverb which has been in the robotics manufacturing business since 2016 has more than 20 products in the market across the world.

The company said 30 per cent of its business comes from overseas but a large chunk comes from domestic clients.

Addverb almost doubled its revenue to Rs 450 crore in the last fiscal and aims to reach Rs 1,000 crore in the current fiscal.

"Robots that we are building are not only for India but for the whole world. So we are getting them certified with various international certifications," said Sangeet Kumar, Co-founder & CEO, Addverb.

Kumar also announced his company's foray into the healthcare segment with the launch of three types of robots for the sector.

These are 'Heal' range of robots. They are also called cobots or collaborative robots as they work along with the human being. The company has also developed exoskeletons or wearable robots to help stroke patients or elderly people who need assistance for their hand or leg movements.

"All these products in the healthcare segment, we are getting them certified from the USFDA as Class 2 equipment for medical devices for selling outside India and across the world," Kumar said.

The ability to offer advanced features at competitive prices gives an edge to indigenous robotic solution providers.

"Indian developers are at par with anybody... the aesthetics, product functionality and also the quality of development, I don't find anywhere we are inferior to any other technology being offered worldwide," Sheshadri said.

Sheshadri said the demand for robotic solutions is increasing as businesses need to ensure "speed, consistency and reliability".

"Automation is all about co-creation. ...You have to look at your application and then start looking at the extent of customisation which is required. Integrating solutions to your kind of applications is what exactly demands the kind of talent and brain, which is required for the entire equipment to be functioned," Sheshadri said.