Amazon has announced the development of a novel warehouse robot, named Vulcan, possessing the capability to perceive certain items it comes into contact with.

The two-armed Vulcan robot, adept at handling items within Amazon's warehouse storage units, is equipped with force sensors to detect contact with objects. One arm is used for rearranging items within a compartment, while the second arm, featuring a camera and suction cup, is designed for grasping objects.

Amazon states that Vulcan was trained on physical data, encompassing force and tactile feedback, enabling it to handle approximately 75% of Amazon's inventory, and that it possesses the capacity for ongoing self-improvement. This robotic system has been implemented in Spokane, Washington, and Hamburg, Germany, where it has processed half a million orders thus far.

Vulcan represents the newest integration into Amazon's extensive network of warehouse robotics, which the company employs on a large scale—hundreds of thousands—to manage customer order processing across its worldwide distribution centres. Despite detractors claiming Amazon's substantial investment in robotics aims to displace human labour, Amazon maintains this is not its objective, contending that robots such as Vulcan primarily enhance warehouse safety.