Cathay Securities and Haitong Securities: Tactile sensors have been commercially used in Amazon's warehouse robotic arms, and the new forms are expected to accelerate the market growth pace
CITIC Securities released a research report stating that Amazon has commercially deployed the tactile-sensing robotic arm Vulcan in its warehouses, aiming to replace human employees in product selection. The application of tactile sensors not only accelerates industry development but also expands market space. Vulcan can handle more types of packages, works longer hours, and has a low error rate, thereby reducing costs. The application prospects of tactile sensors are broad and not limited to humanoid robots
According to the report from Guotai Haitong, as reported by CNBC, Amazon has deployed tactile-sensing robotic arms named Vulcan in its warehouses to replace human workers for picking items from bulk goods and placing them on shelves. Tactile sensing is key to achieving dexterous manipulation and is a core support for the generalization of humanoid robots. In addition to humanoid robots, it is surprising to find that tactile sensing capabilities have been first applied in warehouse robotic arms, which may accelerate the development of the tactile sensor industry. The commercial use of tactile sensors in warehouse robotic arms, outside of humanoid robots, is expected to accelerate the development of tactile sensors while expanding the market space for the industry.
With the enhancement of tactile capabilities, Vulcan can more efficiently handle a greater variety of items
The improvements of Vulcan after adding tactile capabilities are reflected in the following aspects: ① Increased types of packages handled: Previously, the robotic arms used in Amazon warehouses primarily relied on cameras for detection and suction grabbing, resulting in fewer types of objects that could be handled compared to the tactile-capable Vulcan robotic arms. Vulcan can sort 75% of the 1 million items in Amazon's Spokane warehouse. ② Extended working hours and reduced error rates lead to cost reductions: Vulcan can work 20 hours a day, significantly exceeding the continuous working hours of a single human worker. Additionally, for repetitive package sorting tasks, Vulcan can achieve a lower sorting error rate, thereby reducing return rates and driving down costs.
Beyond humanoid robots, tactile sensors have wide application scenarios in traditional industrial robotic arms
Before Amazon launched Vulcan, the public's understanding of the application of tactile sensors was mostly focused on humanoid robots. However, based on the cost reduction and efficiency improvement achieved by Amazon's introduction of tactile sensing capabilities in robotic arms, the application of tactile sensors is not limited to humanoid robots.
Guotai Haitong believes that after adding tactile sensors, robotic arms can interact in high-contact and high-clutter environments, achieving closed-loop control, thus completing more flexible tasks that previously relied solely on human workers. Although mass production of humanoid robots will still take some time, tactile sensors may land in industrial robotic arms or collaborative robotic arms used in commercial fields ahead of humanoid robots, thereby accelerating the growth pace of the tactile sensor market.
Related Targets
Including listed companies Hanwei Technology (300007.SZ), Fulaixin Materials (605488.SH), Riying Electronics (603286.SH), Keli Sensor (603662.SH), and unlisted companies Moxian Technology, Tashan Technology, Pasini, Qianjue Robotics, Weitai Robotics, and Daimeng Robotics.
Risk Warning
The landing of tactile sensing in humanoid robots and other fields may not meet expectations, and breakthroughs in tactile sensor technology and cost reductions may fall short of expectations
