For journeys between fixed points, logistics businesses should first consider AMRs or, for a permanently stable route, conveyor systems. If containers need to be picked up and handed over at stations with different layouts, mobile manipulators or a tightly scoped humanoid pilot may be suitable. The key considerations are proven workflows using your own load carriers, safe interactions, integration with fleet and charging plans, and the documentation required for the intended use. A demonstration alone does not prove that a system is suitable for a warehouse.
If you plan to use existing stations designed for people, you need to assess both the journey and the system’s ability to pick up and hand over different containers. Fraunhofer IPA describes a Unitree G1 demonstrator for material transport; Magazino documents SOTO handing over containers at stations of different heights.
For standardised load carriers moving between fixed points, businesses should establish whether a gripper arm or humanoid form is really necessary for the process. Mobile Industrial Robots and KNAPP describe AMR solutions for internal transport and different types of load carrier.
If you want to test a system in your workplace, you need to define the scope of the pilot, take the risk assessment into account and check the documentation for the specific system. Sections 3 and 4 of the German Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health set out the requirements for risk assessments and the use of work equipment.
Suitable when: Walking and gripping are both needed at existing handover points designed for people, and you can test this exact workflow on site.
Things to weigh up: Navigation, gripping, throughput, safety measures and integration must all be assessed for the specific model and site. Fraunhofer IML describes the field as still at an early stage of development.
Suitable when: A mobile platform needs to pick up or hand over containers at several heights, without requiring bipedal walking.
Things to weigh up: The gripper, station layout, routes and software integration must suit the specific process.
Suitable when: The priority is repeatedly transporting standardised load carriers, with no need for flexible pick-up and handover.
Things to weigh up: AMRs need suitable handover points, traffic management and charging plans. For conveyor systems, route layout and adaptability need to be assessed for each site.
| Purchasing priority | What to check before buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Picking up and handing over | Ask for a demonstration of the complete cycle using your own containers, handover heights and disruption scenarios. | If I need to use existing stations, it matters whether the system can reliably pick up and put down containers there. This is a priority for around 31 % of consumers who place complex handovers first. |
| Repeat transport | Compare load carriers, payload, narrow passages, travel cycles and handover methods on the same process basis. | If I move standardised loads between fixed points, I want to know whether transport alone is enough. Around 25 % of consumers prioritise repeat transport. |
| Safe operation during a pilot | Carry out a risk assessment for routes and tasks, and check the specific system’s safety functions, warnings and procedures for handling disruptions. | If I’m planning an operational pilot involving employees, I need to be able to assess real-world interactions and disruptions. Around 25 % of consumers prioritise safe operation during a pilot. |
| Fleet and charging integration | Document job handovers, traffic management, stations, charging windows and responsibilities when problems arise. | If I’m integrating several transport tasks and stations into operations, I need clarity on software, charging plans and how disruptions will be handled. Around 19 % of consumers prioritise fleet integration. |
A demonstrator shows a specific workflow, but it does not prove that the system on offer can handle the complete process in your warehouse.
Set the full transport and handover cycle under your own operating conditions as an acceptance criterion.
A pilot may require additional development and on-site testing, so allow time and resources for this.
An AMR can transport a load without picking it up or handing it over at the station itself. These are separate functions.
For each station, record who picks up and puts down the load carrier, and what adaptations are needed.
The documentation for the system on offer and the workplace assessment of its specific use need to be checked separately.
Check the manufacturer’s documentation and carry out a separate workplace risk assessment for the planned tasks and workflows.
Agility describes Digit as a humanoid system for handing over containers in warehouses.
Fraunhofer IPA used the G1 as the platform for a material transport demonstrator.
SOTO is a wheeled system for internal transport and container handovers.
According to KUKA, KMR iiwa combines a mobile base with a robot arm.
MiR250 is an AMR for internal transport, making it an alternative that does not handle pick-up and handover itself.
The Open Shuttle portfolio includes AMR variants for different load carriers.
The selection below covers humanoid systems for a clearly scoped pilot involving object manipulation. Suitability for complete warehouse transport and operational requirements must be assessed separately.
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May suit a tightly scoped pilot involving object manipulation. Check whether it can handle your specific tasks across the full warehouse workflow.
The product title mentions force-controlled, dexterous hands. According to the product details, this version does not include an SDK/API, which may limit software customisation.
Before using the system in a workplace, check its documentation and carry out a risk assessment for the intended workflow.
No. If you don’t need the system to pick up and hand over loads itself, businesses should compare AMRs suitable for their load carriers. Whether a humanoid system offers extra value depends on the complete workflow.
Under Section 3 of the German Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health, the risk assessment should begin before the system is selected and purchased. It must be completed and the resulting safety measures put in place before the system is used; you must also establish that it can be used safely. Include the pilot’s actual routes, handovers and disruption scenarios.
For a solution sold as machinery, businesses should check the required manufacturer information, including the operating instructions, the EC Declaration of Conformity and the CE marking for the specific system. As of October 2026, Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and the 9th ProdSV remain relevant; EUR-Lex states that the Directive applies until 19 January 2027. Check the system’s documentation to establish whether the specific configuration meets the requirements.
Ask for charging equipment and charging times, stations, software integration, maintenance, spare parts and support to be listed separately. Compare these items for the same process and operating conditions, rather than assessing different systems using figures that are not directly comparable.