'Robotics 2.0': Amazon reveals new Vulcan robots with sense of touch set to 'transform' packing operations

Vulcan robots, which are already in use at Amazon centres in Spokane in the US and Hamburg in Germany, are able to pick up and sort items and are capable of handling around three-quarters of the products Amazon sells, working at similar speeds to humans.

With eight-foot high ‘pods’ used to sort inventory, Amazon says one of the advantages of the Vulcan robots is that they can help worker safety by picking items from the highest and lowest points of pods.

Amazon says the addition of the robots will assist staff in a similar way to its existing robotics technology.

Aaron Parness, Amazon’s director of robotics AI, said: “Vulcan works alongside our employees, and the combination is better than either on their own.”

Mr Parness added that Vulcan “represents a fundamental leap forward in robotics”, having been built following key advances in robotics, engineering, and physical AI.

He said it contrasts with current robots which are typically “numb and dumb”.

“In the past, when industrial robots have unexpected contact, they either emergency stop or smash through that contact,” he said.

He added: “Vulcan is not just seeing the world, it is feeling it, enabling capabilities that were impossible for robots until now.”

Mr Parness said Vulcan is “a technology that three years ago seemed impossible but is now set to help transform our operations.”

Amazon said it intends to deply Vulcan systems over the next couple of years at sites throughout Europe and the United States.

Mr Parness said: “Our vision is to scale this technology across our network, enhancing operational efficiency, improving workplace safety, and support our employees by reducing those physically demanding tasks.”

Goldman Sachs has previously predicted that 300 million jobs could be affected by automation of some tasks as a result of generative AI developments.

Amazon acquired a robotics firm called Kiva back in 2012 and has since introduced several different types of robots across its operations. The company has said their introduction has helped support the creation of new jobs rather than replacing human workers.

Mr Parness told the Dortmund event the introduction of Vulcan robots will build on this.

"As we've deployed robots across our operations, we’ve actually created hundreds of new jobs like robotic floor monitors, reliability engineers and maintenance technicians. One of my favourite things about Amazon is you don’t need a college degree to have a career in robotics.”

He added: “We are at the start of a golden age for robotics.

"Vulcan is the most extrordinary achievement I’ve been part of. Not only does it enhance Amazon’s operations, but it represents a fundamental leap in the science of robotic manipulation with robotics 2.0.

"Safely handling items in a highly cluttered environment has applications way beyond our fulfilment centres.”