In a new age of technology and innovation, Amazon’s robot empire is taking over the world of e-commerce, one package at a time! With over 520,000 drive units it is a force to be reckoned with.
The Kiva
First off, Amazon’s venture into robotics started in 2012 when it purchased the company Kiva for a whopping $775 million. This granted a foothold in this new and exciting industry.
Ultimately, it’s hard not to be impressed by the sight of Kiva machines, which come in all shapes and sizes. They zip around warehouses, deftly avoiding each other while picking up products to be packed and shipped.
These small, orange robots work together to help workers fulfill orders in the company’s vast warehouses. In the past, workers would have to roam the warehouse, looking for the products they needed to fill orders.
But with the Kiva, the products come to them. When a worker needs an item, they enter the information into a computer system, and the Kiva goes and finds it for them.
They then move the corresponding shelves allowing for more efficient stowing and picking. A single Kiva can pick up and move up to 1000 pounds of merchandise whilst also coordinating with one another to optimize routes and avoid collisions.
This robot has revolutionized the way Amazon does business, allowing it to process more orders in less time. In the end, these robots don’t get tired or make mistakes in the same way that human workers do.
But the Kiva is just one part of Amazon’s robot army. The company has also developed a range of robots designed to work outside of its warehouses, in the delivery and transportation of goods.
Prime air drone
One of the most fascinating of these robots is the Prime Air drone. In recent years, Amazon has been experimenting with using drones to deliver packages to customers.
The idea is simple: the drone takes off from an Amazon warehouse, flies to the customer’s location, and drops off the package.
It’s a quick and efficient way to deliver goods, and it has the potential to dramatically cut down on delivery times. After all, there’s no traffic jams in the air.
Currently they can fly 15 miles with the ability to carry up to 2.26 kg and deliver within 30 minute. Of course, there are still some hurdles that need to be overcome before drone delivery becomes widespread.
For one, there are concerns about safety and the potential for drones to crash into buildings or other obstacles.
The Scout
Another fascinating robot in Amazon’s army is the Scout. This robot is designed to deliver packages to customers’ homes, working in tandem with human drivers to cover large areas of a city.
The Scout is a small, six-wheeled robot that moves along sidewalks and streets, using sensors and cameras to avoid obstacles and navigate to its destination.
Although it has the potential to revolutionize the way we think about last-mile delivery by saving time and money through the reduction in human labour.
I don’t know how exactly this box of goodies would fair in a rough areas of town. I can just image people breaking into them or topping them over for laughs.
If you want to view this article in a more visual format then please check out my video below:
Conclusion
Overall, it is estimated that by 2025 Amazon will employ over 4 million commercial robots making the company well on its way to replacing the majority of its human workforce.
Although this may lead to cheaper and faster services for consumers it will also lead to widespread job displacement. Thanks for reading. Want to learn about 3 emerging technologies that will change our world? Click here to read my previous article.
