With Stretch, Boston Dynamics is now offering its next robot for sale – or is taking reservations, because the robots are only to be delivered in 2023 and 2024. The robotics company, which now belongs to Hyundai Motor Groups, has now announced this. Pilot tests with selected companies such as DHL, Gap and H&M have been successful: all robots that are to be manufactured in 2022 have already been sold to them. Where the logistics robot is already being used, it is to take on even more tasks in the future. From the coming year, all other interested parties should now also have their say.
Easy to integrate
Stretch was introduced exactly a year ago, the robot is intended to do its job primarily when stacking boxes and packages in shipping and logistics centers. It should be able to be easily integrated into the existing infrastructure and the local conditions within a few days. This should also make it interesting for smaller companies. Stretch has a single articulated arm to which a plate of vacuum suction cups is attached. This allows it to pick up and hold packages weighing up to 23 kilograms in the smallest of spaces. Stretch also has a mast to which cameras and sensors are attached. All of this is housed on a moving platform.
According to Boston Dynamics, Stretch should be able to move regarding 800 boxes per hour. The Deutsche Post DHL Group, as one of several companies, had already been able to test the robot extensively and was obviously satisfied. In January, the company announced plans to invest $15 million in stretch robots to boost automation in its own warehouses. It was not known at the time how many robots were to be bought with it. Even now, Boston Dynamics is not naming a price. The company already sells the robot dog Spot, which is currently being tested by the police in North Rhine-Westphalia, among others, to see if it is operational. One costs over $70,000.
(mho)