A few robots have been installed in Amazon’s warehouses, which the online retailer claims would increase productivity and lower worker injuries.
Packages up to fifty pounds in weight can be lifted by two robotic arms called Robin and Cardinal. A third person, known as Sparrow, retrieves objects from bins and places them in other containers.
Carts can be moved throughout a warehouse by Proteus, an autonomous mobile robot that works on the floor. Digit, a humanoid bipedal robot, is being tested to assist in moving empty totes using its hands. Additionally, Sequoia is a containerized storage system that may show staff totes in a way that prevents them from crouching or extending to get product.
Robin is currently in use at dozens of warehouses, according to Amazon. The others have not yet been widely implemented or are in the testing phase. However, the business claims to be already experiencing advantages, such shorter order fulfillment times and staff members avoiding monotonous work. However, if the robots rendered their jobs obsolete, workers would have to be retrained for other duties, which is another disadvantage of automation.
Amazon had an event in October at a warehouse in Nashville, Tennessee, where some of the robots had been incorporated. Julie Mitchell, the director of Amazon’s robotic sorting technology, discussed the company’s future goals with the Associated Press. The dialogue has been condensed for clarity and brevity.
How long does it usually take to introduce new technologies when working on robotics?
A: It has taken us a few years to complete this journey. Fortunately, we’ve been doing this for more than ten years. Therefore, we have a wealth of foundational technology upon which to develop. In November 2022, we began using these specific robots, Cardinal and Proteus, in this building. We entered and started experimenting with how packing and moving a production order may appear. Seventy percent of the things in this building are shipped using that robots system, and we are at scale less than two years later.
Two years, then?
A: We discuss build, test, and scale, which is currently our two-year cycle.
Q: Developing robots that can physically grasp objects is difficult. How is that handled by Amazon?
A: It’s a unique challenge since, as you may surely assume, we have a lot of goods. We use data, and we test our first prototype in a real building, exposing it to all the functions we require. Next, we eliminate every reason why it doesn’t work. We provide it with a wide range of sample sizes in a brief amount of time. For instance, we introduced our package manipulation robot, Robin robotics arm, a few years ago, and we currently have three billion picks. We have therefore been able to move quickly thanks to our network’s ability to launch, gather data quickly, scale, and iterate.
Perceiving the scene, planning your motion, and finally executing are the three basic components of the challenge itself. These three components make up our system today. All of that will change with the help of artificial intelligence, which will be more outcome-driven—for example, asking it to fetch a bottle of water. We’re at the brink, which is why I’m personally thrilled to be here at the beginning of generative AI and use it to significantly boost our robotics’ performance.
As you build the technology, how do you consider how automation will affect Amazon’s workforce?
A: Using the technology we’ve implemented, we’re establishing new positions for people who can learn new skills to fill them. Furthermore, acquiring these new abilities is not too challenging. To assist our robotics systems, you don’t need a Ph.D., an engineering degree, or any other highly specialized expertise. We made the systems simple to maintain and teach reliability maintenance engineers on the job.
We are starting with the goal of hiring more skilled workers and working our way backwards. It goes without saying that these chances pay more than the entry-level positions in our buildings. And while we’re redeploying these technologies throughout our network, working with MIT has given us a better understanding of what our staff values most.
Q: As you implement these robots in your warehouses, are you facing any difficulties?
A: The adoption didn’t. It is being reintegrated. However, since this is the real world and they are intricate systems, things go wrong. For instance, the storms in the Southeast caused poor weather for us. I can tell by looking at the data from the robotics systems that the weather is terrible since it has a big impact on how the ship dock operates.
Bottlenecks appear in the building in odd ways when trucks are unable to leave or arrive late. Containers accumulate, must be placed in various locations, and then must be recovered by humans. Therefore, it’s critical to communicate what our robots system is doing and what we require building employees to perform in order to recover. Humans and automation work together to solve challenges in the real world. It’s not about robotics taking over; rather, it’s about integrating humans and robotics into a single system that works together to provide the product.
The Associated Press, 2024. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. It is prohibited to publish, broadcast, rewrite, or redistribute this content without authorization.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!