Article retrieval system

An article retrieval system comprising:

• a sensor that measures the states of articles stored in a storage container;
• an article detection part for detecting the articles on the basis of the states of the articles measured by the sensor;
• a handling part for retrieving the articles or changing positions and/or orientations of the articles detected by the article detection part;
• and
• a controller that controls the sensor, the article detection part, and the handling part,
• wherein the controller includes:
• a space dividing part for dividing a space in which the articles exist according to the states of the articles measured by the sensor;
• and
• a switching part for switching at least one of a method of measurement with the sensor, a method of detection with the article detection part, a method of retrieval of the articles with the handling part, and a method of changing the positions and/or orientations of the articles with the handling part for each of spaces into which the space has been divided by the space dividing part.