Mobile manipulation robot developer Boston Dynamics has unveiled a demo of what it claims is “the future of warehouse automation”.
In the video (which can be viewed below), Boston Dynamics’ logistics robot, Handle, can be seen picking boxes and building pallets on top of an industrial autonomous mobile robot (AMR), provided by OTTO Motors, in a distribution centre testbed.
Last year, Boston Dynamics announced plans to add flexible, highly mobile automation technology to the warehouse with its Handle robot and Pick computer vision system.
Since then, the team has integrated Pick’s box detection software into the Handle robot and sold and integrated Pick into industrial robotic workcells at sites around the world.
The Handle robot completed proof of concept trials with customers in their warehouses last year and Boston Dynamics is working with OTTO Motors to further automate the logistics space.
“We’ve built a proof of concept demonstration of a heterogeneous fleet of robots building distribution centre orders to provide a more flexible warehouse automation solution,” said Boston Dynamics VP of product engineering Kevin Blankespoor.
“To meet the rates that our customers expect, we’re continuing to expand Handle’s capabilities and optimising its interactions with other robots like the OTTO 1500 for warehouse applications.”
