Looking to add more brain power to your business?
There’s actually a company out there called Brain Corp., and it wants to help commercial and industrial companies bring more automated intelligence to their businesses.
Brain’s intention is to transform everyday machines into autonomous solutions and currently offers software that’s used in robotic floor cleaners. BrainOS means floor cleaners no longer need to be manned, and they can safely navigate complex environments without endangering your human employees. Walmart actually rolled out 360 of them in its stores last year.
But the integrator has also announced a new venture – a proof-of-concept robot capable of towing carts in factories and warehouses.
According to Forbes, the smart tugger should be available early next year and, despite its entry into this crowded market, Brain Corp. believes it has a clear advantage over its competitors: through its work with floor cleaning, Brain has enhanced its ability to operate the carts in tight environments and around people. It intends to go after markets with people-dense landscapes, like shopping centers, airports, and warehouses.
The company had intended to stay focused on the floor cleaning systems for the next several years and had developed partnerships with major scrubber manufacturers like Tennant and Nilfisk. Instead, a $114 million funding round in 2017 – led mostly by Softbank, the conglomerate well known for its tech spending – has allowed Brain Corp. to accelerate R&D in other areas.
And it’s likely this isn’t the last we’ll see from Brain Corp. The company is helmed by Russian computational neuroscientist Eugene Izhikevich, who ditched the world of academia to put his skills towards something tangible, telling Forbes, “I understood a lot about real brains. I wanted to build something.”