Amazon is set to roll out a new wave of robots that could revolutionize the automation industry. Thanks to advanced AI technology, the new robots will be able to work alongside and without humans in fulfillment centers. Proteus is one of these robots, and it features a small lidar sensor, which it uses to scan nearby objects and people in 3D. Proteus has been designed to express happiness, which helps the robot collaborate more effectively with human workers. Another robot, Sparrow, was introduced in 2022, aimed at tasks like picking individual products from storage cubbies and placing them into larger plastic bins. Sparrow is a step towards human-like dexterity, the holy grail of robotics and a bottleneck in the automation of manual work. Amazon’s latest robots could bring about a company-wide shift in the balance between automation and people, creating new jobs while eliminating others. The wave of advanced machines will help Amazon speed up deliveries while expanding its business. With competitors forced to adapt or perish, Amazon’s business is expected to continue its swift growth.
Amazon’s new breed of smarter robots will now take on tasks previously done by people. The giant warehouse located in Massachusetts has become the development center for Amazon Robots. While visiting, a small platoon of blue mobile robots, each about the size of a push lawn mower, went through some algorithmic choreography as they learned to match human work. These machines go through testing chambers to simulate the rigors of intense usage. Many of the Amazon fulfillment centers employ robotics to store and move products. According to sources, about three-quarters of all Amazon’s products are now handled by robotics. This innovation helps the company store more goods in the same space while moving them to customers more efficiently.
Many jobs at Amazon are changing or being eliminated altogether, with new roles coming up. Amazon has been ramping up its use of robots since its acquisition of Kiva in 2012. Initially, the robots were low-slung orange brutes, but they have evolved to improve their capabilities, precision, and speed. In the years ahead, Amazon will continue to expand its robot workforce as part of a company-wide initiative. The most significant change to emerge from this automation revolution is that robots will play a more dominant role in fulfillment centers. As usual, Amazon competitors will need to adjust to the trends, or they will perish.
