Autonomous robots are being used at Amazon warehouses to sort and load packages efficiently. While they excel at some tasks, such as “top-picking,” they struggle with others, like “targeted picking.” This task requires humans to search for an item hidden by other items.
Amazon’s robotic arm Sparrow is capable of handling over 200 million items, but its performance in targeted picking is limited. Experts say that a breakthrough in this area would be necessary for robots to excel in the task. The company has already relied on robots extensively, with over 750,000 machines in use, compared to around half of its human workers.
The deployment of robots in warehouses has raised concerns about job security among warehouse workers. While some argue that automation will lead to job losses, others claim it will allow humans to focus on more complex tasks and create new jobs to oversee the technology. However, a manager at an Amazon fulfillment center reported only 100 such jobs out of 2,500 workers.
Despite these concerns, robots like Stretch, created by Boston Dynamics, are already making an impact in the industry. The mobile robotic arm can unload packages from trucks and place them on conveyor belts, increasing efficiency and reducing labor costs. Experts believe that robots will continue to play a key role in the warehouse industry, but improvements in targeted picking will be necessary for them to excel in this area.
Source: https://futurism.com/the-byte/amazon-warehouse-robots-struggle