Even if the automation of the warehouse by the robot accelerates, the human work has not been deprived yet

The advancement of warehouses for warehouses, including Amazon, is accelerating.On the other hand, it is not easy to pick up the necessary products accurately (for now) for robots using artificial intelligence (AI).

Text by will knight

Translation by Madoka Sugiyama

WIRED (US)

Amazon showed several new warehouse robots in July this year, but the name was "borrowed" from the character of the child's television education program "Sesame Street".The reason was probably the intention of reminding people of the surprise they felt when they were young instead of "fear of the future."

The robot with wheels "Bert" is about the size of a file cabinet, moving around the warehouse and transporting the product.Ernie, a huge industrial robot arm, puts a cart with luggage on a shelf from a belt conveyor."Scooter" and "Kermit" are both forklifts equipped with AI (artificial intelligence), and can lead multiple baskets and many plastic carts from the end of the warehouse to the edge.

With the rapid increase in ordering online shopping, the importance of work in warehouses and luggage sorting in economic activities is increasing.This new robot shows a wide range of automation in these fields.In fact, companies such as Wal -Mart and Fedex, which compete with Amazon, are in a hurry to introduce robots.

Amazon rushing to automate the warehouse

This situation may seem as if the robot is ready to replace human beings in the warehouse and helps to eliminate serious labor.

In the United States, the number of recruitment of transportation and warehouses has recorded 490,000, the highest in history in July 2021, especially in the holiday season when orders and delivery are concentrated.However, it does not work if the robot solves the labor shortage.Hurry up the introduction of automation does not help AI and robots solve the shortage of workers.

Robot prototypes performed on Amazon have no ability to do the most difficult and important jobs in the company's delivery center.In other words, the robot is not wise enough to find and pick up the desired items from a large amount of products on the shelves in the warehouse.

Until now, Amazon has invested a lot of warehouse robots.For example, a robot developed by a robot maker KIVA SYSTEMS acquired in 2012 has a landmark attached to the floor where there are human workers under the shelves with hundreds of products.Carry while chasing.The work of the worker is to find the desired product from the case on the shelves that have been carried.

From there, Amazon has been acquiring robot manufacturers, hiring top -class robot engineering researchers, and has been investing in the difficulties of solving important issues in the warehouse robot.

Amazon spokeswoman explains that some of the new Robots of Amazon, which are not yet placed on the site, feature AI's transport route detection and navigation function.For example, a new robot that moves can move while avoiding human workers.

However, robots can only be able to do it automatically, such as avoiding obstacles or lifting heavy carts from a limited number of shelves.For example, Amazon's new robot arm Ernie needs to work with humans over the fence so that it does not hurt human workers incorrectly.