The Industry 4.0 concept remains a hot topic that demands attention, particularly with the rapid evolution of manufacturing and related sectors. Amidst the dominance of artificial intelligence (AI) across various production fields, another equally significant yet less spotlighted technology is robotics. In this discussion, we focus on a giant that has made robotics a cornerstone of its operations.

Amazon: A Multitude of Robots with a Singular Purpose

For years, Amazon has been diligently working to enhance logistics efficiency. It introduced robots several years ago to handle tasks such as carrying heavy packages and sorting them on conveyor belts.

This process is time-consuming, and technology for these types of robots evolves rapidly. However, the company founded by Bezos is not only focusing on efficiency, as crucial as it may be.

Integration with Humans

Amazon’s logistics centers are not fully operated by robots; instead, they seamlessly integrate into the production flow and must interface with humans. Proteus, for instance, has a “face” consisting of two lights for eyes and one for the mouth, facilitating communication with the operators working alongside it. This design aims to improve coexistence between humans and robots, enabling faster interaction.

Elimination of Repetitive Tasks

The goal of installing robots extends beyond increasing productivity; it includes eliminating the most repetitive tasks. Robots like Sparrow, capable of handling individual items and sorting them correctly without human intervention, play a crucial role. This task is laborious and complex due to the necessity of working with thousands of types of objects.

Creation of High-Value Jobs

Creating robots, maintaining them, or delving into previously unexplored sectors presents a potential future for industrial production. Concerns about the escalating automation, leading to job losses, persist among unions. However, Amazon asserts that it has generated many new positions that did not exist before, providing proper training to employees and accompanying it with a salary increase. Despite the ongoing automation trend, the company emphasizes the creation of high-value jobs as a positive outcome of its robotic initiatives.