Proxie: The Collaborative Robot Revolutionizing Warehouse Work
Unlike other robots, Proxie’s battery can be swapped out to avoid downtime charging. Cobot declined to say how much Proxie costs to buy or lease, but mobile robots often cost tens of thousands of dollars a piece.
The Benefits of Collaboration
The robots work alongside humans, taking turns moving carts and navigating busy spaces without running into anyone. Porter says the idea is for the robots to level up as AI becomes more capable, allowing for more sophisticated manipulation and communication.
Voice Commands and Sophisticated Manipulation
Cobot has a version of Proxie that will respond to voice commands using a large language model to parse utterances, Porter says. When a worker says “Go to dock 3 and grab the cart by the door,” the robot will respond accordingly. The company is also tracking the development of algorithms that allow for more sophisticated forms of manipulation.
Avoiding the Humanoid Route
Proxie might seem remarkably simple at a time when many companies are rushing to develop humanoid robots. But Porter says while Amazon is working with one startup, Agility Robotics, to test its humanoid robot, the technology is simply too expensive and raw to be deployed widely, he says. Some humanoids on the market cost tens of thousands of dollars while others cost many hundreds of thousands. But autonomous capabilities vary wildly, as does reliability, making them more costly to deploy.
“At Amazon, we looked a lot at humanoids,” Porter says. “There are real problems to be solved with something more human capable, but jumping all the way to a humanoid is super complicated. The AI, it’s not really there yet.”
Replacing Menial Tasks
Instead, Proxie could replace more and more menial tasks that human beings often don’t want to do. Erez Agmoni, a general partner at Interwoven Ventures who was involved with bringing the Cobot pilot to Maersk, says it has been very promising and has the potential to be expanded.
“The main reason is their ability to utilize collaborative robots to support the teams without huge modifications to the warehouse or current equipment,” he says. “The team hated pushing the carts, which are very heavy, and they welcome the robots doing it.”
Evolution and Expansion
Fady Saad, founder of Cybernetix, a Boston-based venture capital firm specializing in robotics, says Cobot is going after a big new category of labor involving moving goods around on trolleys that can be tackled using recent robotics advances. He adds that it is important Proxie can evolve into something more capable.
“Porter is trying to build a platform that could evolve into a humanoid down the road,” Saad says. “I think that’s the right approach.”
Industry Insights
Porter is not the only robotics luminary to be pursuing something simpler than humanoids. Rodney Brooks, a pioneering researcher and cofounder of iRobot, is now the chief technology officer of Robust.AI, a company that makes collaborative mobile robots capable of helping human pickers inside factories and warehouses.
“There’s a real need in factories and warehouses for moving things around, but thinking humanoids are going to do it anytime soon is just craziness,” Brooks says. “Wheels were invented for a good reason.”
Conclusion
Proxie, the collaborative robot, is revolutionizing warehouse work by providing a solution that is both efficient and cost-effective. By working alongside humans, Proxie is able to take on menial tasks that human beings often don’t want to do, freeing up workers to focus on more complex and creative tasks.
FAQs
Q: How much does Proxie cost?
A: Cobot declined to say how much Proxie costs to buy or lease, but mobile robots often cost tens of thousands of dollars a piece.
Q: Can Proxie evolve into a humanoid robot?
A: Yes, according to Fady Saad, founder of Cybernetix, Cobot is trying to build a platform that could evolve into a humanoid down the road.
Q: Why is Proxie a better solution than humanoid robots?
A: According to Porter, humanoid robots are too expensive and raw to be deployed widely, and their autonomous capabilities vary wildly, as does reliability, making them more costly to deploy.
