By Scott Simmie

We’re on the road again.

And – like we did recently at Hannover Messe in Germany – we have again partnered with Ericsson to showcase technology at a major global technology show. This time around, it’s the big Automate event in Detroit from May 12-15, 2025.

We’re showcasing a cycle-counting robot we developed for Cypher Robotics (a company we’ve incubated) called Captis. It’s a three-in-one Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) that can count warehouse inventory, capture RFID tags, and carry out precision scans of an entire facility. Its coolest feature? A tethered drone that can ascend from the base to count inventory at height in the back of massive warehouses.

Captis can also carry out missions as long as five hours before autonomously returning to a wireless recharging base. That’s enough time to count all the inventory in a 100,000 square foot warehouse – all while saving people from the repetitive – and potentially risky – task of working from heights.

Above: Cypher Robotics Founder and CEO Peter King (L) on stage at the recent Hannover Messe show in Germany

Below: The Captis system with its tethered drone. InDro Robotics is the incubator for Cypher Robotics

ERICSSON AND 5G

Captis was on display at the Ericsson booth. That company is the world leader in telecommunications hardware and software. It’s very likely that your local cellular provider is running on a network built by Ericsson.

And now, as companies globally transition toward an Industry 4.0 (IR4) world of automation and connected devices, those networks are more important than ever. Secure, high-speed data throughput in the form of private 5G networks is the foundation of IR4.

“As manufacturers modernize their operations, the need for the right connectivity has never been more critical,” explains Ericsson. “Data transformation in manufacturing starts with a unified connectivity platform that seamlessly integrates your existing digital assets to enable new technologies. At the heart of this transformation is 5G connectivity, delivering scalable, flexible solutions that harness massive amounts of data generated by Industrial IoT devices.”

At big shows like Hannover Messe, Ericsson wants a tangible way to demonstrate what these private 5G networks mean in the real world. That’s why Cypher Robotics, along with several other innovators, was invited to display at the Ericsson booth.

“There was a lot of interest in Captis at Hannover Messe,” says King. “People immediately understand the value proposition.”

Below: Cypher Robotics Founder and CEO Peter King, left, along with partners Ericsson and Slolam Consulting

INDRO’S TAKE

InDro was pleased to see Captis and Peter King once again take to the global stage. As the incubator for Cypher Robotics, we are particularly proud.

“The Captis solution is truly at the forefront of cycle-counting technology, and it’s been very satisfying to assist the Cypher Robotics team overcome some of the demanding technical hurdles,” says InDro Robotics Founder and CEO Philip Reece. “In addition to what it can do for clients, Captis is also a great way for Ericsson to demonstrate the undeniable efficiencies that private 5G networks enable in an Industry 4.0 setting.”

Bonus: If you’d like to see highlights from the big show – along with a glimpse of a robotic goaltender built by Ontario high school students that was on display – check out the video below.