Most robotics enthusiasts are aware of Boston Dynamics Inc.'s Atlas humanoid robot, which has performed feats of acrobatics on YouTube and in commercials. But to make its system more humanlike, the company has continued developing its capabilities, as seen in new videos today. Waltham, Mass.-based Boston Dynamics said that “Atlas Gets a Grip” (below) demonstrates a natural progression of the robot's perception, manipulation, and autonomy. It also shows how such robots could eventually assist human workers, in this case by…
…the retailer recently completed a pilot with Boston Dynamics' Stretch robot for automated trailer unloading in Fishkill and has ordered its first two units to be deployed in Gallatin. “We’re going to start with trailer unloading,” he said. Adoption inches to dark facilities Now, two units in one facility may not sound like a lot. But Gap Inc. started with just a few Kindred.ai robotic putwalls in Gallatin during the 2017 holiday season. Less than five years later, there are…
…Robotic Unloader and Articulated Arm Loader/Unloader and Boston Dynamics' Stretch. “My opinions is that we have the best approach, but Honeywell's system is impressive,” acknowledged Drumwright. “The suction approach has been tried for 15 years, and it's hard to pick up a box from the top or a single side.” “It's a huge market out there, and Boston Dynamics can find a subset of it,” he continued. “At MODEX, Stretch was operating fairly continuously, and I didn't see it drop…
Boston Dynamics Inc. yesterday announced that it has signed a $10 million agreement with supply chain company NFI as part of a pilot program to see if Stretch is a right fit for the Camden, N.J.-based company. The case-handling mobile robot will initially be used to unload trucks and containers in 2023 at NFI’s warehouse in Savannah, Ga. If all goes well, NFI said it will start placing Stretch machines throughout its North American facilities over the next few years.…
…Sam Adams, and its Spot quadruped robot, Boston Dynamics Inc. is one of the most recognizable robotics companies in the world. At the same time, Boston Dynamics is serious about providing value for industrial applications. Hyundai Motor Group acquired the company from SoftBank Group Corp. in 2021. Since then, Boston Dynamics has demonstrated Spot in many different environments; offered the Stretch robot for unloading trucks; and continued to work with developers, software and sensor providers, and corporate customers. Last month,…
Velodyne Lidar Inc. yesterday announced that Boston Dynamics will use the company’s lidar sensors in its robots as part of a multi-year agreement. The San Jose, Calif.-based company said its lidar sensors let mobile robots (AMR) operate autonomously in various conditions. That includes varying temperatures and rainstorms. With its sensors, robots have access to real-time 3D perception data for localization, mapping, object classification, and object tracking, the company said. “Boston Dynamics robots provide advanced mobility, dexterity and intelligence that enable…
…his name—is a profound honor. Marc Raibert, Boston Dynamics Marc Raibert, founder, former CEO, and now chairman of Boston Dynamics, will be recognized for technology. His company is known for the BigDog, Atlas, and Spot legged robots, as well as Handle and the new Stretch truck-unloading system. Automatica to celebrate more robotics innovators Bertil Thorvaldsson, ABB At Automatica in Munich on June 20, three more winners will be celebrated. The first is Bertil Thorvaldsson, the global product manager at ABB…
…one of the more promising robots was Stretch, a truck-unloading system developed by Boston Dynamics Inc. The Waltham, Mass.-based company, best known for videos of its legged robots, is now working to address the needs of warehouses and distribution centers. Stretch joined the Atlas humanoid robot and the Spot quadruped for industrial inspections. “Stretch is really a first for us—it's the first robot specifically designed for the warehouse,” said Kevin Blankespoor, senior vice president and general manager of warehouse robotics…
…manipulation. From impressive autonomous forklifts to the Boston Dynamics' Stretch, it is amazing to see that these robots are now deployed in production. It is obvious that mobile manipulation presents a very hard set of problems to solve. But with all of the advancements in GPU-enabled edge AI and computing, vendors are coming up with some truly innovative and safe new robots. Kamlager: Ours, of course! The full-stack technology approach RIOS offers enables customers to go to a single provider…
Robot maker Boston Dynamics Inc. has announced Stretch, its newest system designed specifically for warehouses and distribution centers, is now available for commercial purchase. First introduced in the spring of 2021, Stretch has been in pilot testing with a select group of customers the past several months. The company said all units scheduled for 2022 delivery have already sold out thanks to strong demand from those early customers, which include DHL Supply Chain, Gap, H&M, and Performance Team – A…
While Boston Dynamics Inc. is best known for videos of its legged robots, the company has continued to pursue commercial applications. DHL Supply Chain last week announced that it is investing $15 million in robots from Boston Dynamics to further automate its North American warehouses. According to their multiyear agreement, the companies will start with Stretch, a robot designed for unloading in distribution centers. “At DHL Supply Chain, we are committed to continuous innovation and digital transformation to optimize the…
…Motional Inc. on the IONIQ 5 robotaxi. Boston Dynamics, Hyundai envision collaborative future Boston Dynamics, which Hyundai acquired last year, demonstrated its Spot quadruped robot and Atlas humanoid robot at CES 2022. Spot can collect data for inspection, construction, and security, and Atlas has demonstrated human-level agility. Hyundai showed Spot working with Logistics Mobility for last-mile delivery. Waltham, Mass.-based Boston Dynamics is also developing the Stretch robotic arm for palletizing and depalletizing. Hyundai and Boston Dynamics are already taking mobility…
