Amazon has just unveiled its newest warehouse robot called Vulcan , which has a "sense of touch". Designed to gently stow items using pressure-sensitive gripping and artificial intelligence (AI), Vulcan is now being tested in two Amazon facilities, in Spokane, Washington state, US, and Hamburg, Germany.
Author
- Kartikeya Walia
Lecturer, Department of Engineering, Nottingham Trent University
The robot is part of Amazon's long-term investment in warehouse automation. The inevitable question that always comes up is: will robots like this replace human workers? In short: not yet, and probably not completely. In fact, Vulcan is a good example of how robotics are being designed to work with people, not against them.
Vulcan is designed to assist warehouse workers in stowing - the process of placing items into storage bins (called pods) before they're picked, packed and shipped. Human pickers often work at different height levels when they're stowing, with repetitive bending, reaching or climbing of steps.
Amazon has divided the workspace into zones: the "kneel and lunge" zone (low height), the "power" zone (mid height), and the "ladder" zone (high height). Vulcan is designed to operate in the lowest and highest zones - the most physically demanding areas for humans - to reduce the risk of injury and improve efficiency.
The "sense of touch" comes from Vulcan's force-sensitive gripper. This adjusts how firmly it should hold each item. Using AI, Vulcan can predict the right amount of force to use, squeezing gently for soft, squishy items, and more firmly for flat or rigid ones.
It also uses a clever flat prong to make space inside the bins, packing things more efficiently, almost like playing a game of Tetris.
Right now, Vulcan can match the speed of a human worker and operate for around 20 hours a day. The movements are fast, hence it still works behind a protective safety fence. However, it's not flawless - it can only handle objects up to about 8lbs (3.6kg) and struggles with round items.
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The human factor
So, does this mean fewer jobs for humans? New technologies often raise concerns about job losses - and in some cases, with good reason. Some roles will inevitably disappear as robots become more commonplace, especially those that are dull, dirty, or dangerous . But that's only part of the picture.
From what I've seen in my own research and experience with robotics, automation doesn't usually eliminate jobs entirely - it changes them. Amazon insists that Vulcan is being introduced not to replace staff, but to reduce the physical strain of repetitive tasks and support faster, safer warehouse operations.
Importantly, Amazon also runs a Mechatronics and Robotics Apprenticeship Program - a free course for workers to upskill and move into more technical roles, often with a pay increase of up to 40%. The company also runs other upskilling programmes .
Though it's also worth repeating here that Amazon has been the subject of criticism and complaints from employees about its intensive working conditions (Amazon says its employees' safety and health is its top priority and that some inaccurate information has gone around), these kinds of upskilling initiatives are key to the future of work in environments that use robots. As machines take over the repetitive tasks, humans will move into roles involving assembly, commissioning, maintenance, quick repair, and eventually, system reconfiguration.
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In theory, a fully automated, 24/7 "lights-out" warehouse sounds like a dream for business - no breaks, no injuries, no wages. But in practice, completely removing humans from the shop floor is incredibly risky. Robots and automation systems, especially those that are used in an environment as complex as Amazon's logistics and warehouse management chain, can break down.
If even one component in the workflow fails - a sensor, a motor, or a software module - and there are no humans around to spot it or fix it quickly, the entire operation could grind to a halt. In high-volume environments like Amazon warehouses, even an hour of downtime could cost a fortune.
Keeping humans in the loop provides the flexibility and quick thinking that complex systems still depend on. It's a safety net no algorithm can yet replace. It's also a way to adapt to changes quickly, something that rigid automation often can't do.
Vulcan isn't Amazon's first robot, and it won't be the last. Earlier systems like Sparrow could handle about 60% of the company's inventory. With Vulcan, that number jumps to 75%. That's certainly progress, but it also shows the limits of automation.
There's still a long way to go before a robot can match the flexibility, judgement and care of a human worker. The future of robotics in warehouses won't be about replacing people, it will be about working alongside them, easing physical strain, increasing efficiency, and creating new types of jobs.
We're already seeing shifts in the industry. Modular robots are built using a core set of hardware "modules" that can be combined and recombined to form a customised machine. These are making it easier to tailor automation.
At the same time, vendor lock-in - where companies rely on proprietary hardware and software from a single supplier - is becoming less common. Instead, firms like Amazon are increasingly developing their own bespoke components to better suit their operational needs. A shift towards in-house, self-deployable robotics would mean that companies will need more technically skilled workers who can assemble, modify, and maintain these systems.
For now, Vulcan is a glimpse of what's coming: smarter robots, safer work and hopefully, a future where technology supports people, not the other way around.
Kartikeya Walia receives funding from the EPSRC and UKRI.
