# Amazon to acquire iRobot; Robotics at DHL with Sally Miller

- Show: [The Robot Report Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast)
- Published: 2022-08-05
- Length: 1h 10m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-08-05-amazon-to-acquire-irobot-robotics-at-dhl-with-sally-miller
- Listen: https://soundcloud.com/robot-report-podcast/amazon-to-acquire-irobot-robotics-at-dhl-with-sally-miller

## Summary

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.

## Chapters

- [1:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-08-05-amazon-to-acquire-irobot-robotics-at-dhl-with-sally-miller#t=60) Introduction and Amazon-iRobot Acquisition Analysis
- [4:47](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-08-05-amazon-to-acquire-irobot-robotics-at-dhl-with-sally-miller#t=287) Amazon's Strategic Rationale and iRobot's Market Position
- [15:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-08-05-amazon-to-acquire-irobot-robotics-at-dhl-with-sally-miller#t=942) Regulatory Hurdles, Privacy Concerns, and Jeff Bezos' History
- [24:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-08-05-amazon-to-acquire-irobot-robotics-at-dhl-with-sally-miller#t=1459) Industry Layoffs: Segway and Market Consolidation
- [31:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-08-05-amazon-to-acquire-irobot-robotics-at-dhl-with-sally-miller#t=1918) DHL's Boston Dynamics Stretch Deployment and Truck Unloading
- [38:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-08-05-amazon-to-acquire-irobot-robotics-at-dhl-with-sally-miller#t=2339) Locus Robotics Integration and the 'Robots as a Service' Model
- [47:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-08-05-amazon-to-acquire-irobot-robotics-at-dhl-with-sally-miller#t=2833) DHL's Innovation Funnel and Vendor Evaluation Criteria
- [53:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-08-05-amazon-to-acquire-irobot-robotics-at-dhl-with-sally-miller#t=3215) Integration Challenges, WMS Connectivity, and Future Gaps

## Topics

- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Amazon (company)
- iRobot (company)
- DHL Supply Chain (company)
- Boston Dynamics (company)
- Stretch (product)
- Locus Robotics (company)
- Segway (company)
- Astro (product)
- Roomba (product)
- EcoVacs (company)
- Dyson (company)
- Weintek USA (company)
- Phoenix (company)
- Berkshire Grey (company)
- Crown (company)
- Hyster (company)
- Fox Robotics (company)
- Agility Robotics (company)
- Digit (product)
- Kiva Systems (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [BONUS: Leaders in Robotics, AMRs, and Logistics, Pt. 2 of 2 (brought to you by A3)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-11-26-bonus-leaders-in-robotics-amrs-and-logistics-pt-2-of-2-brought-to-you-by-a3) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [BONUS: Leaders in Robotics, AMRs, and Logistics, Pt. 1 of 2 (brought to you by A3)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-11-23-bonus-leaders-in-robotics-amrs-and-logistics-pt-1-of-2-brought-to-you-by-a3) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [BONUS: Leaders in Machine Vision and Robotics: Live from Boston, Pt. 2 of 2 (brought to you by A3)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-12-23-bonus-leaders-in-machine-vision-and-robotics-live-from-boston-pt-2-of-2-brought) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Deploying Intelligent Robots at Scale with Dexterity CEO Samir Menon](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-12-28-deploying-intelligent-robots-at-scale-with-dexterity-ceo-samir-menon) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [173: Leveraging Robotics in an Unstructured World with Dexterity's Michael Patrick Perry](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-02-20-173-leveraging-robotics-in-an-unstructured-world-with-dexteritys-michael-patrick) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-08-05-amazon-to-acquire-irobot-robotics-at-dhl-with-sally-miller. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to The Robot Report Podcast.