Robotics
No toilet breaks, no lunchtime, no chatting. Imagine seeing that on a sign at work, pretty depressing to say the least. But across the globe, these are becoming the unspoken rules of the workplace with robots now taking on more of our industrial workload. In warehouses worldwide, robot workers are handling a growing mix of tasks and performing them around the clock. And thanks to recent technological breakthroughs they can do so autonomously, while charging faster, avoiding breakdowns, and of course, all without asking for a paycheque at the end of the month.
According to the International Federation of Robotics, the number of industrial robots installed in 2024 was more than double that installed ten years ago, with Asia accounting for 74% of deployments compared to only 16% in Europe and 9% in the Americas. And this year, Amazon marked a major milestone by deploying its one millionth robot across its operations. If these stats are anything to go by, it’s clear that the use of robots in warehouses shows no signs of slowing. That’s because robot workers offer an incredible number of benefits and, with improvements in artificial intelligence, computer vision, and energy storage, they’re becoming even more capable and valuable to have on the warehouse floor.
The leading industries installing robots in 2024 were electronics followed by automotive and metals & machinery, but adoption is now spreading across almost every sector, from logistics to food production. And across these settings, there’s a growing range of roles robots can fulfil. Take product retrieval as an example. Automated cranes and conveyors can store and retrieve goods at pace with zero manual handling, ensuring your incredibly urgent order of novelty cat slippers from Amazon arrives right on time. Or if you enjoy online grocery deliveries, it’s worth noting that the days of someone sprinting around a shop to find your items are long gone. Companies like Ocado now use specialised robotic arms with suction grippers to pick and pack your food all while you relax on the sofa. And for delivery itself, drones are starting to join the party too, with Prime Air set to launch their first UK trails soon.
All of these use cases point to the same outcomes: major time and cost savings. And for you, that usually translates into cheaper goods and smoother services. But for the people working in these industries, it can also mean better safety conditions. Robots can take on the more dangerous tasks that involve working at height, carrying heavy items, or doing night shifts which are increasingly linked to poorer health outcomes as we age. And in countries like South Korea, where birth rates are at record lows, robot workers could help deliver the productivity gains needed to support rapidly ageing populations.
Outside of the benefits, several technological innovations have also accelerated the widespread adoption of robots in industry:
Mobile robots
The first mobile robots were known as automated guided vehicles. These followed fixed paths designated by magnetic strips or lasers placed in straight lines across a warehouse. Today, advances in camera technology, sensors, and artificial intelligence have allowed for autonomous mobile robots that can move freely in any direction to wherever they’re needed next. Take Amazon’s Proteus model, their first autonomous model able to lift carts weighing well over three hundred kilograms. That is roughly the same as four average adult men.
Energy storage technology
One of the main benefits of robot workers is their ability to operate around the clock without breaks. If they need to stop and charge multiple times per day, that cuts into their main selling point. Luckily, energy storage innovation has come a long way. Take China’s UBTech for example, which recently announced the world’s first humanoid robot that can change its own batteries without human involvement. And beyond modular swaps, ultra fast charging is also moving things forward, giving robots far more uptime than was possible even a few years ago. Nyobolt, a leader in fast-charging energy solutions, recently announced a partnership with autonomous robot maker Symbotic which has allowed them to achieve much faster charging and six times more energy capacity in their bots.
Computer vision
Computer vision uses high definition cameras that allow robots to see the world around them. They can identify specific items, understand their position in space, avoid obstacles, and navigate changing warehouse layouts. This makes them adaptable in environments where goods move constantly throughout the day.
Artificial intelligence
Sensing the world around you is one thing. Making decisions based on that information is something entirely different. Advancements in artificial intelligence have allowed warehouse robots to interpret the varied data they receive and adjust their behaviour in real time. Amazon recently announced that a new AI system called DeepFleet has been rolled out to better coordinate robots across its fulfillment network, improving their travel times by around 10%.
Predictive maintenance
Robots are no good if they suddenly start breaking down. Predictive maintenance allows them to report when interventions such as cleaning, lubrication, or repairs are needed. This reduces the risk of unexpected failure and minimises the time they spend out of action.
Humanoids
The human world is built for, well, humans. Door frames, buttons, racks, aisles, the entire physical layout of warehouses has been designed with human workers in mind. Instead of redesigning these environments to suit robots of different heights and shapes, humanoid robots can slot right in. They can walk, reach, grip, and perform a wide range of tasks just like we can, compared to single purpose robots such as arms which are excellent at one job like picking or pulling. This versatility makes humanoids particularly suited to older warehouses that weren’t designed with robotics in mind.
The rise of warehouse robots is really the result of everything coming together at once. Companies want faster operations, safer environments, and tighter cost control, and the technology has finally reached a point where robots can deliver all of that without getting in the way. Today’s robots can navigate busy floors, understand their surroundings, make decisions in real time, and keep going with minimal downtime thanks to better batteries and smarter maintenance. It’s a clear reminder that wider technological breakthroughs often lead to real cost savings and measurable impact, and that warehouses are only at the start of what this new wave of automation can offer.
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