The lifelong journey of an inventive mind

Mr. Franck, are you by nature an inventor or was the idea of the parcel robot a one-time inspiration?

Franck: Ever since I was born, I have suffered from these ideas (laughs)-long before I started working at Deutsche Post. I see something and connect it in my mind with something else. Thus, for example, I try to see things from the operational as well as the technical side.

I worked for a long time at the parcel sorting center in Bremen, first as technological head and then later as head of the operational department. The loading and unloading of containers is a particularly monotonous and arduous job. It was natural for me to consider how the process could be automated-and thus began the history of the robot. But that's not the only idea that I pursued...   

So there are other things you invented previously?

Franck: Yes. And afterwards as well... In the seventies I developed an adult scooter model and registered it with the patent office. My idea came two decades too early. I submitted the idea to a manufacturer but he didn't want it. Unfortunately, patent protection expires after 10 years-today you can buy this kind of scooter anywhere.

After the parcel robot, I had the idea for the "Robot Cell Light".  This is a system that unloads pallets.

The Group named you the 2008 inventor of the year for the parcel robot. How did the people in your surroundings react to your ideas and then later to your success?

Franck: In the beginning, a lot of people sneered at the idea of developing a parcel robot. My wife gave me a lot of support-even when it was probably a burden for her. Ultimately, a lot of work is invested in the project and as time went on there were both technical and financial low points to overcome. But in the end we created something that others thought was impossible.

What were the biggest challenges during the invention and implementation of the parcel robot?

Franck: Parcel edge recognition. In everything we did, our aspiration was to do the whole thing as cheaply as possible. I call that "the Africa technique". You overcome even big challenges with limited means. A system that would recognize the edges of a parcel in the way we needed simply did not exist. A colleague from Deutsche Post sat down with the task and developed a sensor for us.

Looking back - if you could do it over again, would you still submit you idea to the Group?

Franck: Yes-despite the huge amount of work that accompanies this kind of project. It has been very exciting to have been part of the process from beginning to end. We have experienced more in five years than some people probably experience their whole lives. When you think that we started with a circular saw and a cordless screwdriver and that students who helped us with the project even wrote a dissertation on the parcel robot afterwards! Then we also won the robotics prize-and afterwards we used the prize money to fly to Riga with the team.  

And where do you see potential for innovation in logistics?

Franck: In the processes for loading and unloading containers in particular. A high degree of automation already exists at the mail sorting centers. The next major potential for automation currently lies in the parcel sorting centers.