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WILMINGTON, MA – June 12, 2025 – Locus Robotics, the global leader in mobile warehouse automation, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Oscar Mendez to Director of AI & Data Science Team, leading Locus’s mission to bring advanced artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to the physical world.
Locus’s AI and Data Science team is focused on cutting-edge development in Physical AI to drive innovation and deliver intelligent warehouse optimization at scale
“We are thrilled to welcome Oscar to this critical leadership role,” said Hamid Montazeri, Senior Vice President of Software & AI at Locus Robotics. “Oscar’s exceptional research credentials, combined with his passion for applied AI, make him the perfect leader to help us shape the future of intelligent robotics. Under his direction, the AI and Data Science (ADS) team will be instrumental in creating the first foundation model purpose-built for warehouse automation—ushering in a new era of ‘Physical AI’ for our industry.”
Dr. Mendez brings a deep research background and international recognition in Robotics, Computer Vision, Physical AI, and Artificial Intelligence. He joined Locus in October 2023 from the University of Surrey, where he was a Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Vision, Speech and Signal Processing—one of the UK’s top AI research centers—and a Fellow of the Institute for People-Centered AI. His career has been marked by award-winning contributions to autonomous agents, collaborative robotics, and computer vision, including leading groundbreaking projects such as Autonomous Valet Parking (AVP). Dr. Mendez won the 2022 ICRA best paper award which was named as one of Amazon's most influential papers in 2022.
Dr. Mendez’s appointment further strengthens Locus’ position at the forefront of Physical AI, delivering Explainable AI (XAI) - a domain in which the company already leads thanks to its Robotics Software Team (RST) - Embodied Intelligence and a warehouse-wide “Holistic” AI, supporting the company’s continued drive to deliver transformative value to customers through intelligent automation.
“We’re building more than robots—we’re building a smarter, more adaptive supply chain,” said Rick Faulk, CEO of Locus Robotics. “Oscar’s leadership and vision will accelerate our ability to develop intelligent systems that understand, learn, and act with ever-greater sophistication. His appointment reflects our ongoing investment in world-class talent to lead the industry through its next wave of innovation.”
About Locus Robotics
Locus Robotics is a global leader in AI-enabled, mobile warehouse automation, delivering unmatched flexibility and unlimited throughput, and actionable intelligence to optimize operations. Powered by LocusONE™, an AI-driven platform that seamlessly integrates our flexible mobile robots into existing warehouse environments to dramatically enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and scale operations with ease.
Trusted by over 150 industry leading retail, healthcare, 3PL, and industrial brands in over 350 sites worldwide, Locus enables warehouse operators to achieve rapid ROI, minimize labor costs, and continuously improve productivity. Our industry-first Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) model ensures ongoing innovation, scalability, and cost-effectiveness without the burden of significant capital investments. With proven capabilities in diverse workflows—from picking and replenishment to sorting and pack-out—Locus Robotics empowers businesses to meet peak demands and adapt to ever-changing operational needs.
For more information, visit www.locusrobotics.com and follow us on social media.