Scalable, space efficient, high density automated library

A removable-unit storage module, comprising:

• a housing;
• storage cells arranged within the housing, wherein the storage cells contain a plurality of objects;
• robotic hands to retrieve the plurality of objects from the storage cells;
• module tracks, wherein the module tracks are substantially parallel rows of configurable instances of tracks attached to the housing on which the robotic hands travel;
• and
• bridge tracks to connect the rows of module tacks on opposite sides of the storage module, and to connect rows of module tracks on one storage module to rows of module tracks on another storage module.

A removable-unit storage module, comprising:

• a housing;
• storage cells arranged within the housing, wherein the storage cells contain a plurality of objects;
• robotic hands to retrieve the plurality of objects from the storage cells;
• module tracks, wherein the module tracks are substantially parallel rows of configurable instances of tracks attached to the housing on which the robotic hands travel;
• and
• bridge tracks to connect the rows of module tracks on opposite sides of the storage module, and to connect the rows of module tracks on one storage module to the rows of module tracks on another storage module;
• wherein the bridge tracks can be connected to and disconnected from the storage module dynamically;
• wherein the bridge tracks can be adapted to a variable distance between storage modules.

A removable-unit storage module, comprising:

• a housing;
• storage cells arranged within the housing, wherein the storage cells contain a plurality of objects;
• robotic hands to retrieve the plurality of objects from the storage cells;
• module tracks, wherein the module tracks are substantially parallel rows of configurable instances of tracks attached to the housing on which the robotic hands travel;
• and
• bridge tracks to connect the rows of module tracks on opposite sides of the storage module, and to connect the rows of module tracks on one storage module to the rows of module tracks on another storage module;
• wherein the bridge tracks can be connected to and disconnected from the storage module dynamically;
• wherein the bridge tracks can be adapted dynamically to the distance between storage modules while at least one of the storage modules is in motion.