Amazon is Looking for the Perfect Warehouse Worker
Robot with a human grasp is Web challenge to students
Kiva Systems robots working for Amazon. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg
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Amazon.com Inc.’s inaugural “Amazon Picking Challenge” inspired mechanical engineering and computer science students from around the world to design robots that can grab boxes of Oreo cookies and pencils from warehouse shelves and place them in bins, tasks ordinarily done by people.
The Seattle retailer hopes to make its challenge a regular event that encourages innovation in robotics and steers academic research toward e-commerce automation.