Amazon unveils 'Vulcan' robot with sense of touch

Amazon has unveiled a new robot named Vulcan that it says marks a “fundamental leap forward in robotics,” as it introduces machines with a human-like sense of touch into its warehouse operations.

The AI-powered robot is capable of identifying and handling about 75% of items in Amazon’s vast fulfilment centres, using both vision and tactile feedback to sort and store products.

Vulcan was introduced at Amazon’s Delivering the Future event in Dortmund on Wednesday and is expected to roll out globally over the coming years.

Aaron Parness, Amazon’s director of robotics, said Vulcan is the first in its fleet to “feel” as well as see. “It’s not just seeing the world, it’s feeling it, enabling capabilities that were impossible for Amazon robots until now,” he said.

The robot is designed to ease physical strain for human workers by reaching items on upper and lower shelving units, eliminating the need for ladders or excessive bending.

It will operate alongside Amazon’s existing fleet of more than 750,000 robots that already move shelves and assist at picking stations.

The development has raised questions about job security. As labour costs rise, many global retailers are increasing investment in automation.

Amazon has faced repeated industrial action in the UK and elsewhere over pay and working conditions in its warehouses.

Economists at Goldman Sachs warned in 2023 that 300 million jobs worldwide could be lost to automation by 2030. The Tony Blair Institute estimated that in the UK alone, up to 275,000 jobs could be displaced annually at the height of the disruption.

Still, Amazon’s chief robotics technologist, Tye Brady, insists humans remain essential. “There’s no such thing as completely automated,” he said. “People will always be part of the equation.”

Brady likened Vulcan to Star Wars character R2D2 — a helpful companion, not a replacement. He said humans are key not just for nuanced decision-making, but also for spotting routine issues like broken or spilt items, and for responding to potential cyber threats.

Amazon also plans to deploy machine-learning systems to create custom-fit packaging to reduce waste, with over 70 machines to be installed across Germany, the UK, France, Italy and Spain by year’s end, and more by 2027.

The news comes as Amazon launched its Amazon Haul site in the UK this week, targeting budget-conscious consumers with thousands of products under £20 — directly challenging low-cost rivals Shein and Temu.