Meet Amazon's new robots designed to reduce warehouse injuries

Amazon's "Scooter" robot.Amazon

• Amazon is now testing new software and hardware, including autonomous robots, to make its warehouses safer.
• Take a look at the four new robots: Bert, Ernie, Scooter, and Kermit.
• These robots can complete a variety of tasks, from transporting totes to completing physical labor.

Amazon's "robotics and advanced technology" division is now testing new tech, including robots and motion sensors, to make its warehouses safer, the company announced on June 13.

Amazon's "Scooter" robot.      Amazon/YouTube

Source: Amazon

These tests combine technology with "simple solutions" in an effort to make Amazon's fulfillment centers safer for its workers, according to the company.

Amazon's "Kermit" robot.      Amazon/YouTube

"Something as simple as changing the position of handles on totes may help lower the risk of injuries to our employees at a massive scale,"Kevin Keck, Amazon's worldwide director of advanced technology, said in a press release.

Amazon's "Ernie" robot.      Amazon/YouTube

Source: Amazon

The hardware and software crosses a wide range of tasks, from transporting totes across the warehouse, to completing tasks that could otherwise be physically taxing for humans.

Amazon's "Kermit" robot.      Amazon/YouTube

Amazon acknowledges that these developments may cause people to worry about the "robots replacing humans" rhetoric, but the company says it has continued to grow its robotics program while still adding jobs.

Amazon's "Kermit" robot.      Amazon/YouTube

And it could allow Amazon to cut the number of "recordable incidents" in half by 2025, Keck said.

Amazon's "motion-capture technology."      Amazon/YouTube

This push for warehouse safety follows a report from this month by the Washington Post's Jay Greene and Chris Alcantara detailing the number of safety issues in Amazon warehouses.

Amazon's "Scooter" robot.      Amazon/YouTube

Source: The Washington Post, Insider

According to the report, the number of serious injuries at Amazon warehouses almost doubles that of facilities owned by other companies.

Amazon's "Kermit" robot.      Amazon/YouTube

But in 2020, Amazon spent over $1 billion on safety measures, and employed over 6,200 people to focus on "workplace health and safety," a spokesperson told the Washington Post.

Amazon's "motion-capture technology."      Amazon/YouTube

Source: Insider

Now, let's take a closer look at the new robots.

Amazon's "Scooter" robot.      Amazon/YouTube

The company unveiled four new robots in line with this push for safety: Ernie, Bert, Scooter, and Kermit.

Amazon's "Kermit" robot.      Amazon/YouTube

Let's start with Ernie.

Amazon's "Ernie" robot.      Amazon/YouTube

Ernie, not to be confused with the orange Muppet, can remove totes from shelves, and can then hand the goods over to (human) employees.

Amazon's "Ernie" robot.      Amazon/YouTube

This means warehouse workers won't have to crouch down or stretch up to grab a tote.

Amazon's "Ernie" robot.      Amazon/YouTube

"The innovation with a robot like Ernie is interesting because while it doesn't make the process go any faster, we're optimistic, based on our testing, it can make our facilities safer for employees," Keck said in the press release.

Amazon's "Ernie" robot.      Amazon/YouTube

Now, onto Amazon's Bert, which also shouldn't be confused with Muppet Ernie's yellow puppet counterpart.

Amazon's "Bert" robot.      Amazon/YouTube

Bert is one of three autonomous robots being tested by Amazon.

Amazon's "Bert" robot.      Amazon/YouTube

Bert can carry a variety of items - from small objects to, in the future, several heavy goods - through the warehouse by itself …

Amazon's "Bert" robot.      Amazon/YouTube

… saving human employees an extra trip.

Amazon's "Bert" robot.      Amazon/YouTube

The last two bots, Scooter and Kermit, are autonomous cart transporters.

Amazon's "Scooter" robot.      Amazon/YouTube

Unlike Amazon's e-commerce carts, the warehouse carts hang onto the empty totes.

Amazon's "Scooter" robot.      Amazon/YouTube

This means Amazon's human employees get to spend more time using their "critical thinking skills" instead of completing these more physically daunting tasks, according to the company.

Amazon's "motion-capture technology."      Amazon/YouTube

Scooter pulls carts around the warehouse, and the company plans on implementing at least one Scooter at every facility in 2021.

Amazon's "Scooter" robot.      Amazon/YouTube

Unlike Scooter, Kemit focuses on towing around empty totes, which streamlines the tote return process.

Amazon's "Kermit" robot.      Amazon/YouTube

Kermit follows a specific path around the warehouse and can adjust its speed or route as needed.

Amazon's "Kermit" robot.      Amazon/YouTube

It's now being tested at different locations around the country.

Amazon's "Kermit" robot.      Amazon/YouTube

Like Scooter, more Kermits will be implemented this year as well.

Amazon's "Kermit" robot.      Amazon/YouTube

Besides robots, Amazon is also testing what it calls "motion-capture software."

Amazon's "motion-capture technology."      Amazon/YouTube

The new tech, which doesn't have a cute or glitzy name just yet, is being developed near Seattle.

Amazon's "motion-capture technology."      Amazon/YouTube

Unlike the robots, this software monitors how a person moves in a test lab and, in theory, Amazon's warehouses.

Amazon's "motion-capture technology."      Amazon/YouTube

Using this type of software allows the company to "more accurately compare data captured in a lab environment to industry standards," according to Amazon.

Amazon's "motion-capture technology."      Amazon/YouTube

This, as well as comments from employees, could allow Amazon to implement simple but important changes, according to Keck.

Amazon's "Ernie" robot.      Amazon/YouTube