TIMELINE THE HISTORY
OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
IN SUPPLY CHAIN 1935
1951
1956
Drones
AI
Robots
While the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can be dated back to the 1700s, the first modern drone didn’t come into play until 1935 as part of the Royal Air Force’s training for pilots. Fast forward to today, drone usage in logistics has rapidly increased particularly in the healthcare industry following the outbreak of COVID-19.
While artificial intelligence (AI) is another technology that can be seen in many crude forms throughout multiple centuries, the first working AI programs were written for chess games in 1951. When it comes to supply chains, AI can be used to further warehouse efficiencies, enhance safety, reduce operations costs, and improve on-time delivery.
The first robot to enter the supply chain, came from the manufacturing industry. George Devol patented the first robot in 1954. Since then, robotics have advanced significantly, today, one of the most common robots being used in supply chains are Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) in the warehouse.
14
February 2022
