Amazon employees are “rigorously testing” and developing new robotic and automation technologies to help move totes, carts, and packages to improve efficiency and make jobs “safer”.  

Some of the innovations that are currently being tested at the research and innovation lab merge advanced technologies with simple solutions for potential safety benefits. One project, which is in its early development, involves motion-capture technology, to assess the movement of volunteer employees in a lab setting.

Kevin Keck, Worldwide Director of Advanced Technology at Amazon. “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.”

Motion-capture software enables Amazon employees and researchers to more accurately compare data captured in a lab environment to industry standards rather than other modelling tools traditionally used by ergonomists.

“The role robotics and advanced technology can play in not only innovating for customers, but helping make our facilities safer, is a massive motivation for me and my team,” said Keck.

source: Logistics Manager