Boston Dynamics unveils ‘Stretch,’ a new warehouse worker robot

Boston Dynamics, a U.S. robotic company known for its futuristic humanoid robots that can do simple parkours and perform backflips like a gymnast, today introduces Stretch, a new robot designed to perform and automate box moving tasks in warehouses and distribution centers.

Stretch’s mobile base allows it to go to where repetitive box lifting is required – unloading trucks, building pallets of boxes, and order building. The company said that Stretch makes warehouse operations more efficient and safer for workers.

Boston Dynamics vice president of business development for Boston Dynamics Michael Perry said that Stretch is the first robot for one task that the company has built. Perry added that the decision to develop Stretch was based on requests received from companies around the world.

In an interview with Reuters, Perry said: “We heard pretty much universally across warehousing that truck unloading is one of the most physically difficult and unpleasant jobs … And that’s where Stretch comes into play.”

Stretch’s technology builds upon our decades of advancements in robotics to create a flexible, easily integrated solution that can be deployed in any warehouse.

Below is a video of Stretch in action.

Late last year, we wrote about Boston Dynamics after the company’s robots ushered in the New Year with their new dance moves. In the three-minute video, Atlas and the entire Boston Dynamics family, including the dog-like Spot and box-stacking Handle, dance to the “Do you love me” song at a Boston Dynamics facility. The video shows off the company’s impressive achievements in artificial intelligence.

Below is the video.