Amazon to acquire iRobot; Robotics at DHL with Sally Miller

The Robot Report Podcast · 5 Aug 2022 · 1h 10m

What this episode covers

Sally Miller, Chief Information Officer for DHL Supply Chain North America, discusses the deployment of robotics in logistics, specifically the upcoming rollout of Boston Dynamics' Stretch robot for truck unloading and the successful integration of Locus Robotics cobots across nearly 2,000 units. The hosts analyze Amazon's $17 billion acquisition of iRobot, debating the strategic value of iRobot's brand and manufacturing capabilities versus Amazon's consumer robotics history, while also noting recent layoffs at AMR developer Segway. Miller details DHL's rigorous vendor evaluation process, emphasizing the critical importance of WMS integration and operational change management for successful scaling.

Mentioned

Companies
Amazon, iRobot, DHL Supply Chain, Boston Dynamics, Locus Robotics, Segway, EcoVacs, Dyson, Weintek USA, Phoenix, Berkshire Grey, Crown, Hyster, Fox Robotics, Agility Robotics, Kiva Systems
Products
Stretch, Astro, Roomba, Digit

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