Amazon’s New Warehouse Robot With a Sense of Touch Is Both Fascinating and Slightly Terrifying


  • Amazon’s newest warehouse robot is capable of sensing the objects it manipulates.

  • Vulcan has already handled 500,000 orders in pilot programs.

  • It will operate alongside employees to boost efficiency and safety.

Amazon has introduced a new warehouse robot named Vulcan, which may make some people uncomfortable due to its advanced humanoid capabilities, though these advancements serve a beneficial purpose.

Vulcan has the ability to ‘feel’ the objects it interacts with using force sensors and tactile feedback, which means Amazon can improve precision and reduce errors in its warehouses.

The (fortunately non-humanoid) robot employs two distinct limbs; one is tasked with organizing objects within sections, while the second, fitted with a camera and suction cup, is designed for fetching items.

The Amazon Vulcan robot has the ability to sense or perceive objects.

The company
noted
Vulcan was trained utilizing physical data such as force and touch feedback, and it can currently grasp approximately three-quarters of the objects.
ecommerce
The company’s inventory has already handled more than 500,000 orders during trial implementations in Spokane, Washington, and Hamburg, Germany.

Vulcan is also capable of self-improvement, learning from experiences much like a human child would do.

Due to its learning capabilities along with touch sensors and tactile abilities, Amazon claims that Vulcan emulates human dexterity, enabling it to handle densely arranged spaces without causing damage to objects.

It can also recognize when it’s unable to process something and will call upon a person for help.

Significantly, in densely-packed shelves and elevated warehouses, Vulcan can retrieve items faster than humans as it does not require a ladder, enhancing both safety and efficiency. Additionally, it operates at speeds similar to human workers.

“Vulcan collaborates with our team members, and together they create an outcome superior to what each could achieve individually,” said Amazon Robotics Director of Applied Science Aaron Parness.

Amazon currently employs over 750,000 robots throughout its warehouse facilities. The company emphasizes these machines assist and work alongside their human counterparts instead of replacing them. Additionally, Amazon is involved in various initiatives such as Sparrow, Robin, Cardinal, and Proteus—the corporation’s inaugural self-guided robotic system.

“Scaling this technology throughout our network is our objective, which will boost operational efficiency, enhance workplace safety, and aid our staff by minimizing physically strenuous activities,” Parness stated at last.


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