Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 80.23
March 29, 2021
Boston Dynamics today unveiled a new robot named Stretch, which it said is designed to meet the logistics industry's need for flexible automation. The Waltham, Mass.-based company said the prototype marks its official entrance into warehouse automation, a fast-growing market driven by accelerated demand in e-commerce. Stretch is Boston Dynamics’ first commercial robot specifically designed for warehouse facilities and distribution centers. There are more than 150,000 such facilities around the world, according to Interact Analysis. The mobile robot is designed to rapidly move boxes in a a number of tasks, starting with truck unloading and later expanding into order building.…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 74.43
March 28, 2022
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 Maersk Company. Boston Dynamics said it is now accepting reservations for 2023 and 2024 deliveries. The Waltham, Mass.-based company has…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 72.59
January 30, 2022
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 end-to-end supply chain,” said Sally Miller, CIO of DHL Supply Chain North America. “Investing in warehouse automation plays an important…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 70.46
September 01, 2022
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. Boston Dynamics first unveiled Stretch back in March 2021, noting that it was its first robot specifically designed for warehouse…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 69.89
June 29, 2022
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 automation in unfamiliar and unpredictable settings,” said Laura Wrisley, senior vice president of worldwide sales at Velodyne Lidar. “Equipped with…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 62.96
April 22, 2024
Boston Dynamics recently announced it has retired the hydraulic version of its Atlas humanoid robot, unveiling a fully electric robot designed for real-world applications. As part of its commercialization strategy, the robot will be tested by Hyundai, which acquired a majority stake in Boston Dynamics in June 2021, for automotive manufacturing applications. Waltham, Mass.-based Boston Dynamics said the next generation of its Atlas program builds on decades of research and furthers its commitment to delivering capable, useful mobile robots solving challenges in industry today. Small group of customers to begin testing applications Following the commercial deployment of “robot dog” Spot,…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 62.77
June 21, 2021
…completion of its acquisition of a controlling interest in Boston Dynamics Inc. from SoftBank Group Corp., following the receipt of regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The deal valued the Waltham, Mass.-based mobile robot company at $1.1 billion, and additional financial details were not disclosed. Seoul, South Korea-based Hyundai now holds an 80% stake in Boston Dynamics, while Tokyo-based SoftBank retains the remaining 20% through one of its affiliates. Hyundai reportedly spent $880 million on the acquisition. “By acquiring Boston Dynamics and securing a leading presence in the field of robotics, the group takes another major step toward its…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 60.40
September 11, 2023
…announced that it has signed a strategic agreement with Boston Dynamics Inc. to continue automating its logistics operations. The Hamburg, Germany-based e-commerce retailer plans to deploy Boston Dynamics' Spot robots in more than 10 facilities and Stretch robots in more than 20 facilities over the next two years. Otto Group said the deployment will support its efforts to improve safety, increase operational efficiency, and address labor shortages for specific types of warehouse work. Waltham, Mass.-based Boston Dynamics noted that the agreement marks the first time both of its commercially available robots will be deployed together at enterprise scale. “The cooperation…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 60.12
August 08, 2023
…its annual sustainability report that it is working with Boston Dynamics Inc. to release a new robot in 2024. The Hyundai Motor Group units did not specify what type of robot it will be, but they said they expect to tap into their development and manufacturing capabilities. Seoul, South Korea-based Kia has been exploring business opportunities in robotic logistics and automated delivery services, according to the Korea Herald. The automaker also plans to invest 28 trillion won ($21.9 billion U.S.) in air mobility, including electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, leading to mass production by 2028, it reported. “[The…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 58.86
February 01, 2023
…said it is the first company to commercially apply Boston Dynamics' Stretch robot to unloading cartons from trucks. “Through our accelerated digitization strategy, we continue to innovate and find creative solutions for today’s supply chain challenges,” stated Sally Miller, CIO of DHL Supply Chain North America. “We are also excited to be able to offer yet another solution to our customers that allows for flexibility in scaling up or down as operational needs change.” DHL is part of Bonn, Germany-based Deutsche Post DHL Group, which claimed it is largest logistics company in the world, with 380,000 employees and offices in…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 55.50
April 19, 2022
…in Atlanta, 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 at Boston Dynamics. “We took all of the technology that we've grown over the past several decades with…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 51.76
January 18, 2023
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 bringing tools up scaffolding. “This video ... is meant to communicate the expansion of the research that we're doing on…
