Amazon is quietly ramping up its robotics ambitions, with sources revealing the e-commerce giant is testing humanoid robots for package delivery. This move signals a significant step towards automating its vast logistics network and potentially reshaping the future of last-mile fulfillment.
The initiative highlights a strategic blend of hardware and software, prominently featuring technological contributions from several Chinese firms. On the hardware front, Amazon is evaluating a diverse array of humanoid robots, including units developed by Chinese robotics firm Unitree Robotics.
Bolstering the brains behind this robotic workforce, Amazon is leveraging advanced software and models to enhance the robots’ capabilities. These include solutions based on DeepSeek-VL2, a multimodal vision-language model developed by DeepSeek, and path planning algorithms powered by Alibaba’s Qwen model.
The company has built a simulated indoor obstacle course in San Francisco, complete with challenging terrains like stairs, lawns, and access controls, mimicking real-world delivery scenarios. This testing environment allows Amazon to assess the robots’ gait stability, package handling, and environmental interaction skills. The ultimate goal is to determine the viability of humanoid robots in replacing human delivery personnel, optimizing efficiency, and cutting costs.
Furthermore, Amazon is integrating these robots with its Rivian electric delivery vans within the testing arena. This will enable the robots to complete the “truck-to-human-to-doorstep” delivery cycle, including automated door unlocking, package retrieval, and route planning.
According to members of the Amazon team, open-source large language models from DeepSeek and Alibaba, among others, are being used to enable the robots to better understand their surroundings and map out their movements.
Industry observers are closely watching this development, noting that the project underscores the increasing importance of Chinese technology in the global automation landscape. The convergence of Chinese hardware manufacturing prowess and advanced AI capabilities is proving critical in ushering in a new wave of smart logistics, reshaping the very foundation of the industry.
Original article, Author: Tobias. If you wish to reprint this article, please indicate the source:https://aicnbc.com/1955.html
