Glossary / Core technology
What is Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR)?
An AMR is a robot that navigates and moves around a space independently, using onboard sensors and mapping software rather than fixed tracks or wires.
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Autonomous Mobile Robots read their environment in real time using LiDAR, cameras and sometimes ultrasonic sensors, then plan their own route to a destination. If a trolley is left in a corridor or a door is shut, the robot re-routes rather than stopping dead or requiring a person to clear the path.
This is the defining difference between an AMR and older Automated Guided Vehicles, which follow fixed paths marked by tape, magnets or wires. AMRs are far more practical in buildings that change day to day — retail floors, hospital corridors, hotel lobbies — because the layout doesn't have to be re-engineered every time furniture moves.
Commercial cleaning robots, delivery robots and most modern warehouse robots sold in the UK today are AMRs. When evaluating a supplier, ask how the robot handles unexpected obstacles and whether it needs a return visit to re-map after layout changes.
Common questions
- What is the difference between an AMR and an AGV?
- An AMR navigates dynamically using sensors and can re-route around obstacles; an AGV follows a fixed physical path such as tape or wire and generally stops if that path is blocked.
- Do AMRs need infrastructure changes to a building?
- No physical infrastructure is normally required — no tracks, wires or magnetic strips. The robot is mapped to the space during setup and updates that map as needed.
- Are AMRs safe around staff and the public?
- Yes, AMRs sold for commercial use in the UK carry safety certification and use sensors to detect and stop for people and obstacles well before contact.
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