Last week, Amazon unveiled a new robot specifically designed for its warehouses, highlighting its ability to skillfully manipulate a diverse array of objects. Named Vulcan, this latest generation of robots is equipped with advanced force feedback sensors, enabling them to gauge the amount of force exerted while handling items or navigating carts. These robots are set to be integrated across Amazon’s global fulfillment centers, aimed at enhancing the efficiency of human workers. The company noted that the introduction of Vulcan has led to the creation of hundreds of new job categories within its warehouses.
Amazon’s Vulcan Robots Approach Human Dexterity
In a recent statement from its Seattle headquarters, Amazon introduced the Vulcan robot and detailed its innovative features. The new robots address a significant challenge in automating fulfillment centers—the limitation of previous industrial robots, which are unable to react appropriately during unanticipated interactions. “Previously, when industrial robots encountered unexpected contact, they would either stop abruptly or collide forcefully with the object. They often lacked the sensory capability to even recognize that they had made contact,” explained Aaron Parness, Director of Applied Science at Amazon.
According to Amazon, Vulcan incorporates the latest advancements in robotics, engineering, and physical AI. It boasts dedicated force feedback sensors, and its arm is outfitted with a camera and a suction cup. This sophisticated configuration employs both sensor-based object detection and computer vision to assess the appropriate amount of force for handling various items.
Vulcan robot’s ruler-shaped arm with camera and suction cup
The method of storing inventory within Amazon’s fulfillment centers follows a unique arrangement designed for efficiency in shipping and stowing. Products are stored in fabric-covered pods, each divided into compartments that can hold up to ten distinct items. Many robots face challenges in retrieving items from this complex setup; however, Vulcan is reportedly capable of navigating through crowded spaces to select the appropriate item with care.
Vulcan can successfully pick and stow approximately 75 percent of the items stored in Amazon’s fulfillment centers, operating at speeds that match those of its human counterparts, according to the company. Currently, these robots are undergoing testing in fulfillment centers located in Spokane, Washington, and Hamburg, Germany.
With over 750,000 robots already deployed in its fulfillment operations, Amazon emphasized that this expansion has opened new job opportunities, including roles such as robotics floor monitors and on-site reliability maintenance engineers. The company is also providing training programs designed to help its workforce transition into roles related to robotics, preparing workers for an increasingly automated future in the industry.
