Amazon has launched its newest robot, called Vulcan, in warehouse automation. A robot has a sense of touch, allowing it to carry out tasks once reserved for human employees. Amazon revealed the robot during its Delivering the Future event held in Dortmund, Germany.

“The typical robot is ‘numb and dumb’. In the past, when industrial robots have unexpected contact, they either emergency stop or smash through that contact. They often don’t even know they have hit something because they cannot sense it,” said Aaron Parness, Amazon director.

“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 Amazon robots until now,” Parness says.

It utilizes bipedal movement, flexible arms and hands, and sophisticated AI to move through and engage with the physical environment. Amazon claims that the robot's tactile perception enables it to comprehend when and how it interacts with an object.

Amazon also claims that Vulcan can effortlessly shift items in storage units to free up room for additional ones. Its AI-driven sensor enables it to sense contact and gauge the force it's exerting, avoiding damage by halting before exerting excessive pressure. This is accomplished through a specialized "hand" similar to a ruler on a hair straightener, fitted with force feedback sensors that control its grasp.

Amazon additionally claims that robots, which contribute to fulfilling 75% of customer orders, have generated hundreds of new job categories at Amazon, including robotic floor supervisors and on-site reliability maintenance engineers.