Drop by any given loading dock and a buzz of forklifts — loaded up with goods — can be spotted maneuvering in and out of truck trailers. This logistical dance can take up to an hour to fill a trailer, leaving truck drivers in idle limbo.
The founders of Atlanta-based Slip Robotics say they’ve developed a robot that cuts that time down to five minutes. Their design inspiration: the floor.
Slip Robotics, which was founded in 2020 by Chris Smith, Dennis Siedlak, and John Jakomin, has developed and launched a commercial robot-as-a-service business that combines automation software and large floor-like robotic platforms that can hold 10 palettes and carry up to 12,000 pounds. According to the company, these so-called SlipBots can handle uneven ground and navigate routes from the warehouse floor into a truck trailer. Three SlipBots — about 36,000 pounds of payload — fit into one truck trailer. Once the truck arrives at its destination, the SlipBots disembark.


