Where did the term “Autonomous Mobile Robot” come from?

History of the Phrase “Autonomous Mobile Robot” 

Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) have become a cornerstone of modern automation, transforming industries with their ability to navigate and operate independently.  Much has been written about their technical capabilities.  But, what about the term itself?  How did the phrase “Autonomous Mobile Robot” come to describe an entire class of products and sub-segment of the robotics field?

This blog offers a historical perspective on the origins of the phrase and explores how and when companies adopted the term “autonomous mobile robot”.   It will highlight the dates of adoption, and some of the terms used prior to embracing the AMR moniker.  We will also provide research references from the Wayback Machine to support this historical journey.

Originator of the Phrase

In the early days Aethon referred to their product as a “self-guiding, self-propelled cart moving solution” which was used on their website as of February 25, 2004(x) .   It gradually become more focused and as of November 3, 2013 they described it as “automated robotic delivery system”(x) .

But the term “autonomous mobile robot” or AMR was first coined by Aethon on the website on February 8, 2014(x)  and represents the first public use of the term in the market.  There was a healthy debate about whether the word “smart” should be incorporated into the term.  For a while it was used interchangeably and that can be seen on the historical website but it was ultimately dropped leading to the term we use today.  Subsequently, Aethon registered the domain autonomousmobilerobot.com in February, 2016.

This shift in terminology to the AMR term would be adopted throughout the industry over the following 20 years and become a standard.

Adoption of AMR Terminology

Vecna Robotics: On September 15, 2015(x) , Vecna Robotics began using the AMR term following their acquisition of vGo. Before this, Vecna described their solutions as “telepresence robots”(x)  and “hospital logistics robots”(x) . Vecna Robotics launched a dedicated page for AMRs on November 30, 2022(x) .

 MiR (Mobile Industrial Robots): MiR initially used the phrase “advanced mobile robots” in 2014(x) . The company transitioned to using the term AMR on February 23, 2017(x) .

Fetch Robotics: On February 28, 2017(x) , Fetch Robotics adopted the term AMR, moving away from “intelligent autonomous driving” which had been used up to February 5, 2017(x) .

Locus Robotics: After emerging from stealth mode(x)  Locus Robotics began using the term AMR on December 2, 2017(x) . Prior to this, they referred to their technology as a “robotic fulfillment solution”(x) .

Geek+: When the company emerged it had adopted the term AMR on March 29, 2020(x) . Before adopting AMR, Geek+ did not have a specific term for their robots available online.

Adept/Omron: Adept Technology introduced their “courier” as an “intelligent mobile transporter” on February 6, 2012(x) . As of December 17, 2019(x) they still had not yet fully adopted the AMR term but on April 1, 2020(x) , Omron’s LD series was recognized as an AMR.

OTTO Motors: OTTO Motors transitioned from “self-driving vehicles” which was used up to May 27, 2020(x) to AMRs on May 30, 2020(x) .

Grey Orange: Grey Orange first used the term AMR in a press release on July 31, 2020(x) . But, they continued to use “intelligent fulfillment robots” on their website until August 2021(x) .

Seegrid: As of February 1, 2021 Seegrid used the term “vision guided vehicles”(x) But on February 7, 2021(x)  they transitioned to the more universal AMR term.

6 River Systems: A company that was in stealth mode for a couple of years, 6 River Systems quickly became known for their product “Chuck”. Curiously, they avoided any category moniker.  But by December 4, 2022, 6 River Systems officially identified it as an AMR(x) . Before this, Chuck was described as a “collaborative mobile robot”(x)

KUKA: KUKA began using the term AMR on the menu of their website on June 27, 2023(x) . Prior to this, they referred to their products as “omnidirectional mobile platforms”(x) . By February 23, 2024, KUKA fully embraced the term and launched a dedicated page for AMRs(x) .

Willow Garage: Willow Garage focused on personal robots, with their PR2 being a “personal robot” and the TurtleBot an “autonomous platform”. While never adopting the term “autonomous mobile robot”, they are an important early innovator in the field.

Conclusion

The adoption of the term “autonomous mobile robot” is marked throughout the milestones and contributions from various companies.  But you might say “who cares” because a name doesn’t solve engineering problems.  What it does is help solve the commercialization challenge of new technology by providing clarity about the solution and the relevance of a growing space.  The etymology of the terms in the space, and the subsequent consolidation around the AMR term shows how it plays a role in clearly communicating to the market.

What’s most important is the impact AMRs have on efficiency, productivity, and safety so that autonomous technology is integral to everyday operations.