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Amazon has made a robot that can feel the items it is picking up – in what it says is a major leap forward for robotics.
The new system, called Project Vulcan, has a sense of touch that allows it to feel an item so that it is able to safely pick it up. Amazon is already using the system to sort and pack deliveries, it said, alongside a fleet of other robots.
Vulcan is now able to handle around three quarters of the millions of products the e-commerce giant offers, and can move stock at a speed comparable to human workers, Amazon said.
Aaron Parness, Amazon's director of robotics AI, said: "Vulcan works alongside our employees, and the combination is better than either on their own.
"Vulcan represents a fundamental leap forward in robotics.
"It's not just seeing the world, it's feeling it, enabling capabilities that were impossible for robots until now."
The US firm said the development of the new type of robot was sparked by a desire to free up time for human staff, as well as improve safety and efficiency in its fulfilment centres.
And in response to concerns about robots replacing humans in the workplace, Amazon said its range of robots have created "hundreds" of new categories of jobs at the firm, including maintenance engineers and monitoring staff for its robotic fleet.
Amazon said it also offers training schemes to help staff move into robotics and other fields.
Vulcan is expected to be rolled out to sites throughout Europe and the United States over the next "couple of years".
Mr Parness said it was "a technology that three years ago seemed impossible but is now set to help transform our operations".
"Our vision is to scale this technology across our network, enhancing operational efficiency, improving workplace safety, and supporting our employees by reducing physically demanding tasks," he said.
Additional reporting by agencies
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