Amazon on Wednesday unveiled a new robotic system capable of performing multiple tasks at once in the company’s warehouses.
The system, called Blue Jay, is made up of a series of robotic arms suspended from a treadmill-like track. These arms have suction cups that allow them to grip and sort objects of different shapes and sizes.
Blue Jay combines “what were once three separate robotic stations into one streamlined workplace that can pick, sort and consolidate in one place,” Amazon said in a blog post.
The goal of the robotic system is to assist employees with otherwise arduous tasks “while creating greater efficiency in less physical space,” the company said.
Amazon is testing Blue Jay at one of its warehouses in South Carolina. So far, the company has observed that the system is capable of picking, packing, putting away and consolidating “approximately 75% of the items we store at our sites.”
Blue Jay joins a growing fleet of robotic machines deployed across Amazon’s legions of warehouses. In recent years, Amazon has released robots that can handle different tasks, from removing items from shelves to sorting boxes. In May, it launched “Vulcan,” a robotic system with a sense of touch.
Amazon’s warehouse automation efforts were largely boosted by its $775 million acquisition of Kiva Systems in 2012.
The announcement comes as Amazon’s warehouse automation faces increasing scrutiny, particularly regarding the technology’s impact on its sprawling frontline workforce.
The New York Times published a survey Tuesday showing that Amazon’s automation team hopes to avoid hiring more than 160,000 people in the United States by 2027, representing a savings of about 30 cents on each item packaged and delivered by Amazon. The report was based on interviews and internal strategy documents, the Times said.
In response to the report, an Amazon spokesperson told CNBC that the documents provide an “incomplete and misleading picture of our plans.”
“In this case, the documents appear to reflect the view of a single team and do not represent our overall recruiting strategy across our various lines of business – now or in the future,” the spokesperson said in an email.
Amazon said last week it plans to hire 250,000 full- and part-time workers during the holiday season, the same number as the last two years.
As the nation’s second-largest private employer, Amazon’s automation program could become a bellwether for the broader labor market and other companies. The company had more than 1.54 million employees worldwide at the end of the second quarter. This figure excludes delivery drivers, who are hired through third-party companies.
Morgan Stanley analysts estimated in a note released Wednesday that Amazon’s deployment of automated warehouses, combined with reduced labor and fulfillment costs, could generate savings of up to $4 billion by 2027.
The company said Wednesday that employees remained “at the center” of the development of its robotics. Amazon said its goal was to “reduce physically demanding tasks, simplify decisions, and open new career opportunities” for workers.
Amazon sought to highlight how the increasing automation of its facilities would lead employees to adopt “more rewarding” roles within the company. It offers an apprenticeship program in mechatronics and robotics, which involves honing skills in maintaining and monitoring robotic machines.
Smart glasses for drivers
Amazon also unveiled a pair of augmented reality glasses for delivery drivers on Wednesday that it says can help them with their daily tasks.
The glasses are equipped with artificial intelligence, sensors and cameras capable of scanning packages. The glasses can also show drivers turn-by-turn directions, hazards and reminders via a screen that overlays the information in their field of vision. The device can also generate audio alerts warning drivers if there is a dog on a customer’s property.
The system comes with a small controller attached to the delivery driver’s vest that has a “dedicated emergency button” that they can use to contact emergency services while on the road.
Amazon said it tested versions of the glasses with hundreds of drivers to help inform the device’s design.
The company relies on thousands of contracted delivery companies to deliver packages to shoppers’ doors. Over the past few years, the company has injected more and more technology into their workflow, including video cameras, smartphone apps that track and score their driving behavior, and AI tools that can help drivers identify the right package to deliver at each stop.
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