Amazon unveils robot with sense of touch

Built on advances in robotics, engineering, and physical AI, Amazon’s new Vulcan robot is making workers’ jobs easier and safer while moving orders more efficiently

Vulcan does this using an “end of arm tooling” that resembles a ruler stuck onto a hair straightener, plus force feedback sensors that tell it how hard it’s pushing or how firmly it’s holding something, so it can stay below the point at which it risks doing damage.

With the ability to pick and stow approximately 75% of all various types of items Amazon stores at its fulfilment centres, and at speeds comparable to that of its front-line employees, Vulcan represents a step change in how automation and AI can assist employees in their everyday tasks. It also has the smarts to identify when it can’t move a specific item, and can ask a human partner to tag in.

Aaron Parness, Amazon director, applied science, said: “"Vulcan represents a fundamental leap forward in robotics. It's not just seeing the world, it's feeling it, enabling capabilities that were impossible for Amazon robots until now."