DHL: Rise of the machines [VIDEO]

Robots named “Baxter” and “Sawyer,” currently undergoing testing at DHL’s Innovation Center in Troisdorf, Germany, are being “shown” how to handle complex warehousing tasks, such as assembly, kitting and packing. Soon, DHL plans to install copies of these machines on the floors of its storage facilities around the world.

Advancements in technology have finally enabled robotics companies to build machines that can “learn” tasks in real time, according to DHL. Technicians can now physically guide robots through movements and procedures that they can be programmed to repeat while processing other variables.

Dennis Niezgoda, project manager at DHL Trend Research, quipped that showing the robots a task was as easy as “setting up your smartphone.” Niezgoda explained that using sophisticated sensing technology ensures that the robots react to new instructions and maintain safe protocols.

Baxter and Sawyer – developed by Rethink Robotics, a Boston-based robotics company – start at just under US$30,000 each for the most basic package. DHL is currently testing ways to integrate cousins of these twin robots into various operational sites. The company recently purchased its first Sawyer robot and is looking at 3D printing possibilities to create specialized grippers that will make the robots more effective in warehouse management.

Check out Sawyer as he/she/it navigates complex tasks at DHL’s research center: