Vecna Robotics CaseFlow Transforms Warehouse Operations with Automated Case Picking

As supply chains become more complex and labor shortages persist, warehouse operators are under mounting pressure to do more with less. In many facilities, over half of a worker’s time is spent not on picking items, but simply walking — an inefficiency that costs time, money, and morale. At the same time, the demand for flexible, scalable systems is skyrocketing. Among the top priorities is automated case picking, a solution aimed at transforming one of the most physically demanding and still largely manual tasks in warehouse operations.

Why has case picking emerged as the starting point for warehouse automation, and how can robotic systems enhance, rather than replace, the role of human workers?

In this episode of Robot vs. Wild, Vecna Robotics takes you behind the scenes of one of its most important innovations to date: CaseFlow. Join Chief Marketing Officer Josh Kivenko, Chief Architect Joshua Ornstein, and Senior Product Manager Rebecca Li for a conversation on why Vecna chose to tackle case picking, one of the most persistent inefficiencies in modern warehousing.

Episode Highlights:

• Why case picking was chosen first: It’s labor-intensive, still heavily manual, and offers a clear path for automation to create immediate value.

• How the system works: Autonomous pallet jacks handle the travel; human workers focus on picking, guided by wearables and coordinated by an orchestration engine.

• What makes Vecna’s approach unique: A 24/7 remote command center, real-time performance console, and full-system orchestration create a flexible, responsive solution for automated case picking at scale.

Joshua Ornstein is a seasoned engineering leader with over 18 years of experience in robotics, specializing in systems architecture and the development of advanced autonomous platforms. At Vecna Robotics, he has held key roles including Chief Architect and VP of Engineering, leading multidisciplinary teams to deliver cutting-edge solutions for warehousing, manufacturing, and logistics. His career highlights include launching multiple robotic products, pioneering fleet orchestration systems, and securing major enterprise contracts in the automation space.

Rebecca Li is a robotics-focused product leader with deep experience in developing and commercializing advanced automation solutions that integrate autonomous mobile robots, wearables, and orchestration software. At Vecna Robotics, she led the launch of CaseFlow, a flagship system enabling human-robot collaboration in warehouse operations, and drove its go-to-market strategy, resulting in significant enterprise impact. With a technical foundation from MIT and prior research in quantum computing, Rebecca blends scientific rigor with product vision to deliver scalable, industry-shaping technologies.