Rightbot’s container unloading robotic with a suction gripper. | Supply: Rightbot
Truck loading and unloading is a job ripe for automation as a result of it’s strenuous and occurs in all types of climate. Nevertheless, competitors is stiff. Amazon.com Inc. has acquired Rightbot Applied sciences Inc., which developed a robotic for unstructured load dealing with.
The businesses didn’t specify the phrases of the transaction. Amazon has added a staff of Rightbot’s workers to considered one of its personal groups, an Amazon spokesman confirmed at present to The Robotic Report.
“We’re at all times evaluating alternatives to create efficiencies in our operations that in the end profit our clients and enhance the security of our workers,” he stated. “We’re excited to convey a gaggle of modern staff members from Rightbot to Amazon’s Robotics Supply and Packaging Innovation (RDPI) staff and stay up for carrying out a lot collectively.”
Amazon beforehand invested in Rightbot
Amazon’s Industrial Innovation Fund led an funding of $6.25 million into Bengaluru, India-based Rightbot because it emerged from stealth in 2023. Different backers included SOSV, Walmart’s Flipkart unit, and Entrepreneur First.
“Our expertise isn’t just an incremental enchancment, however [also] a radical reimagining of how robotics can improve operational effectivity in complicated environments,” Abhinav Warrier, co-founder and chief expertise officer of Rightbot, asserted on the time. “We’re not simply growing robots; we’re crafting a brand new paradigm in dealing with unstructured hundreds.”
Newark, N.J.-based Righbot used a suction gripper to maneuver hundreds that might be various and unpredictable. The corporate was an exhibitor at ProMat 2025, however its web site was down as of at present.
A number of corporations construct robots to unload vehicles
A number of corporations have taken quite a lot of approaches to automating the loading and unloading of containers, vehicles, and trailers. Dextrous Robotics shut down in January 2024 after growing a chopstick-like robotic.
Slip Robotics has constructed SlipBot, a cellular platform that unloads a complete trailer directly. Mujin and Honeywell have used a cellular conveyor to succeed in right into a truck to tug out bins. Most truck-unloading robots use suction cups.
For example, Boston Dynamics‘ Stretch makes use of suction cups and is extra steady than its Deal with predecessor. Hole, DHL, and Lidl are amongst Stretch’s customers, with DHL ordering greater than 1,000 robots.
Pickle Robotic has additionally gotten industrial traction, with clients equivalent to UPS and Randa Attire. UPS plans to spend $120 million for 400 robots from Pickle.
Anyware Robotics stated its Pixmo system is straightforward to deploy, whereas Contoro Robotics stated it makes use of synthetic intelligence and teleoperation for unloading operations.
Beckoff and Dexterity have partnered to develop the two-armed Mech cellular manipulator. As well as, autonomous forklift suppliers equivalent to Fox Robotics, Humro, and Multiway additionally provide to load and unload vehicles.
