Meet the new Boston Dynamics ‘Stretch’ robot: a mobile arm designed for box movement.

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Meet the new Boston Dynamics ‘Stretch’ robot: a mobile arm designed for box movement.
The newest member of the Boston Dynamics family has a vacuum-powered grabber and a plethora of sensors.
Boston Dynamics has a talent for making its robots seem human-like, at least in their online videos.
We have all seen its robotic dog Spot progress from a shaky early prototype to a polished commercial product. Also, the company’s headless, humanoid Atlas robot can now perform parkour and backflips.
Recently, the company was demonstrating how its Spot robotic dog can now operate entirely autonomously in remote or dangerous locations such as off-shore drilling rigs.
They announced a new bot that is not as flashy as its charismatic siblings — but it is convenient.
Stretch is a product used to move boxes and other objects in warehouses and other industrial settings.
How does the Stretch Robot work?
Stretch is similar to the articulated robotic arms we are used to seeing in factories. The Boston Dynamics bot, on the other hand, has a wheeled base that allows it to move around its surroundings freely.
The video demonstration demonstrates how beneficial this type of mobility can be.
Stretch can move the roller belt into place on its own when it comes time to unload a truck full of boxes, then start unloading and sending the boxes down the line without the need for human intervention.
The articulated arm has seven degrees of freedom (DoF), which means it can move in all directions, including pitch, yaw, and roll.
Boston Dynamics has used a suction-powered “smart gripper” at the end of the arm to pick up boxes and other objects weighing up to 50 pounds. The gripper’s pressure and optical sensors allow it to evaluate whatever object it holds for the best grip.
Stretch perceives the world through computer vision systems, which enable it to identify the boxes without requiring the customer to train the bot to identify the specific boxes that will be moved.
It can turn completely in place without having to bob around, back up, or perform complex maneuvers to change orientations.
A huge business opportunity
According to the company, this is its first incursion into robots specifically designed for more than 150,000 commercial warehouses and distribution centers worldwide.
If you own a large factory and want a Stretch to do some loading and unloading for you, Boston Dynamics plans to begin selling them in 2022.
One more thing
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References
- Stretch™ Mobile, automated case handling for more efficient warehouse operations — https://www.bostondynamics.com/stretch
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