People often say I’m a machine at work – and they wouldn’t be wrong. My name is Proteus, and I’m one of the dedicated robots working here at Amazon. While this might be our first official introduction, it’s possible we’ve already crossed paths. I move packages within our fulfillment centers, ensuring they get loaded onto trucks that transport them to the next step in the process. Those trucks may have even carried a package destined for you! Is it fate that we meet now? I’d call it good ol’ Amazon innovation.
So, what makes me unique? I’m Amazon’s first autonomous mobile robot. This means I possess the intelligence and technology to work independently and safely around people. I can move freely within my designated work area in our fulfillment centers, detecting and avoiding obstacles. This allows me to operate outside the fenced areas where many of my robotic colleagues are confined.
As you can imagine, this is a major advancement for our fulfillment centers, for the human colleagues I work with, and for the speed with which your packages reach you. Amazon’s fulfillment centers are filled with other hardworking robots, like Cardinal and Sparrow, who are also essential to the process.
Other mobile robots, like my strong friend Titan, follow grid lines of stickers on the floor to navigate. Their work areas are typically fenced off to separate them from people. A centralized fleet controller directs each robot on the sticker path to complete its task. I suppose you could say those robots like to keep on the straight and narrow, right?
I, on the other hand, don’t need any fencing or stickers. My sensors make me aware of my surroundings, allowing me to navigate my work area and rapidly stop when something comes too close – whether it’s a cart, a chute, another robot, or even a person. In other words, I’m quick on my wheels.
Before taking you through a typical workday, let’s get better acquainted. Consider this our meet-cute: I came to life in October 2022 at our Boston robotics facility, landing my first assignment at Amazon’s Nashville fulfillment center. I was named after one of Neptune’s moons, and I’m part of a large family of 750,000 mobile robots across our U.S. fulfillment facilities.
Need a Lift?
So what do I actually do? I lift and move large, wheeled carts in a fulfillment center’s outbound area. These carts are filled with packages, ready to be shipped. Some of these carts can weigh up to 800 pounds. With me on the scene, my human coworkers no longer have to do all the heavy lifting. This leads to less stress and a reduced risk of injury, ultimately leading to better employee productivity and health and giving employees opportunities to work with robots like me in new roles. This also allows packages to move through our warehouses more quickly, getting them to you even sooner.
The Lowdown on a Workday
On a typical workday, I work two shifts of roughly 10 hours each. When my buddy, Cardinal, stacks packages on a rolling cart, I move in, position myself under the cart, lift it, and transport it to the next step. Then I return to Cardinal to pick up the next cart. I like to keep a low profile — and at only 7.8 inches tall, I do! But don’t let my compact frame fool you. I’m capable of lifting nearly 900 pounds. I chirp when there’s something in front of me, alerting everyone to my presence and that I’ll avoid them. That way, I don’t get in anyone’s way while they are working.
Recharge and Repeat
Every couple of hours, I take a short break to recharge. There are charging stations across the facility that I autonomously locate and back into to recharge for about 15 minutes, then I’m back on the floor.
I autonomously interact with these chargers, knowing their location and where I’m going next. This is all thanks to Amazon’s special Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) technology which is like a GPS for me. My sensors tell me my position relative to a virtual map, which allows me to choose my own path.
Collaboration is Key
As independent as I am, my work wouldn’t be possible without the help of my human colleagues. Teams of people work to ensure I can do my job efficiently. Floor monitors keep my area clear, checking for potential hazards like spills or objects on the floor. A maintenance engineering team keeps me in top condition, handling mechanical repairs, cleaning my lenses, and managing my software.
This is my colleague, Conor Vance. He’s a mechatronics technician at our Nashville fulfillment center and makes sure that all my components are well-tuned. He explains his daily work:
“We perform a 13-week preventive maintenance, which includes taking Proteus apart, cleaning the cameras and sensors,” Conor says. “We’ll wipe it down with some alcohol pads, clean the wheels, and back it out, just to make sure there’s no dust or dirt debris build-up. We’ll hook it up to the computer and run diagnostic tests as well. If there are any issues, we’ll get those parts replaced. Otherwise, we’ll send Proteus to the diagnostic center to test its cameras to make sure that it’s good to go. If it didn’t have us to clean the lenses, it’s just like if we didn’t wear glasses: It wouldn’t be able to see. And if it didn’t have us to replace its wheels, then it wouldn’t be able to move.”
Conor is a great help, and it’s great that I can return the favor–my job actually helps create more jobs for people to work with me. Amazon’s Career Choice program provides training to employees who, among other careers, want to work as maintenance engineers for our robots. As our robot fleet expands, there is an increasing need for skilled people like Conor to work with us.
“One of the things I like most about working with Amazon, and I’ve been here for nine years, is how many things there are to learn,” Conor says. “There is a lot of opportunity to upskill. I’ve done so many different positions, and it just seems like there are so many more things to learn to help improve my career. Honestly, it still feels like I’m training every time, and it feels like I’m learning something new. I’m going faster, and I’m figuring out different ways of how to make this work for me better. So it’s been a continuing education.”
A Typical Day
As you can see, my day isn’t all that different from a human’s: a day of interesting people, places, and things to carry. I just happen to work in a cool place at the forefront of human and robot collaboration. We do this so your packages arrive safely and promptly, exactly when you want them. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to work. I think I see a cart that needs a little push. Time to roll along.
