Chipotle’s Toxic Supply Chain

December 29, 2015


chipotleThe implication: If you eat Chipotle, you’re doing the right thing, and maybe you’re better, too. But fewer people associate Chipotle with “healthy” today, reports BusinessWeek (Dec. 28, 2015-Jan.10, 2016). Almost 500 people around the country have become sick from their food since July. And food-safety experts say they believe the total number affected is at least 10 times the reported number. Continue reading →

Warehouse Robots Chasing Amazon

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The Fetch warehouse robot can carry as much as 150 pounds at a time

In Fetch Robotic’s mock warehouse, stocked with granola bars, breakfast cereal, sponges, and other household goods, a worker plucks items from shelves and places them in a plastic bin. The bin is set atop a small wheeled robot that follows the employee’s every step like a puppy. When the container is full, the robot darts off with it to a packing area; a second robot with an empty bin then picks up where the first left off, allowing the worker to keep gathering items without pausing or having to push around a heavy cart. Fetch Robotics, reports BusinessWeek (Oct.26-Nov. 1, 2015), is one of a handful of startups working on warehouse robots aimed specifically at e-commerce companies. Continue reading →

Redesigning the Overhead Baggage Bin

October 16, 2015

airplane bins 

Frustrated at having his own carry-on bag taken from him when overhead bins filled, Boeing engineer Brent Walton asked the question many travelers ask: “Why don’t planes have enough bin space for all passengers?” Then he figured out a solution—make bins tall enough so you can turn bags on their side, like standing up books on a shelf rather than laying them flat.
Continue reading →