Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Manuel Ostermeier is a prominent operations research scholar whose work sits at the cutting edge of last-mile logistics and autonomous delivery systems. His research has made significant strides in developing rigorous planning frameworks for integrating small autonomous delivery robots with conventional truck-based delivery operations — a challenge that has grown increasingly pressing as companies worldwide pilot these technologies in real-world settings. Ostermeier's most influential contribution, "Cost-Optimal Truck-and-Robot Routing for Last-Mile Delivery" (2021), has garnered over 100 citations and addressed a critical gap in the literature by providing the first holistic routing optimization framework for combined truck-and-robot fleets. Building on this foundation, his subsequent work expanded the problem scope to multi-vehicle settings and daily customer supply scenarios, collectively accumulating over 130 additional citations and establishing him as a leading voice in this emerging field. What makes Ostermeier's research particularly impactful is its practical relevance: by bridging autonomous vehicle technology with combinatorial optimization, his models offer actionable guidance for logistics companies navigating the transition toward automated urban delivery. Students and researchers interested in vehicle routing, autonomous systems, or sustainable urban logistics will find his body of work an essential reference point.