Amazon kills robot that was supposed to transform warehouses
Amazon has already shut down its Blue Jay warehouse robot, even though it launched only last October.
Turns out, high costs and tricky manufacturing made it too tough to keep going.
Blue Jay was supposed to be a game-changer for same-day delivery and lower costs, but things didn't pan out.
Amazon is now betting on its modular 'Orbital' system
Instead of Blue Jay, Amazon is now betting on its modular "Orbital" system—think smaller, community-focused warehouses that could even pop up inside Whole Foods stores.
The team behind Blue Jay isn't out of work; they've been moved to other robotics projects at Amazon.
Core tech will show up in future systems
Even though the robot itself is done, Amazon says its core tech will show up in future systems like the floor-mounted "Flex Cell."
As spokesperson Terrence Clark put it, they're mixing and matching ideas from projects like Vulcan, Sparrow, and Proteus to boost their warehouse game across the board.