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DHL Group, a worldwide chief in logistics, is increasing its already robust relationship with Boston Dynamics. Via a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), DHL plans to deploy 1,000+ extra Stretch robots from Boston Dynamics by 2030. The businesses are additionally trying to broaden the forms of functions Stretch is used for, past container unloading.

DHL and Boston Dynamics have been working collectively since 2018. DHL first deployed Stretch in North America in 2023. The logistics large has additionally deployed the robotic in the UK and Europe, attaining unloading charges of as much as 700 instances per hour.

DHL stated it plans to additional combine Stretch into its operations. A key space of improvement is case selecting, which DHL identified is among the most labor-intensive actions inside its provide chain.

“We’ll work collectively to prioritize the applying improvement of cellular case selecting in addition to discover different synergies throughout DHL’s divisions,” a Boston Dynamics spokesperson instructed The Robotic Report. Watch the video beneath for examples of cellular case selecting functions for Stretch.

DHL stated it has invested greater than €1 billion in automation inside its contract logistics division during the last three years. The corporate stated it has deployed greater than 7,500 robots throughout its world community. AutoStore, Fox Robotics, Geek+, and Locus Robotics are a few of the different notable robotics corporations DHL works with.

In June 2024, DHL introduced it surpassed 500 million picks with Locus’ autonomous cellular robots alone. It took DHL 2.5 years to succeed in the primary 10 million picks with the LocusBots and 28 months to finish the following 100 million picks. Remarkably, the final 100 million picks took simply 154 days.

“Via our Accelerated Digitalization agenda, we’re dedicated to maximizing the influence of robotics and automation throughout all our operations and enterprise models,” stated Sally Miller, world CIO of DHL Provide Chain. “It’s a basic shift that’s reshaping how we function and elevate service for our prospects. Via this expanded partnership with Boston Dynamics, DHL will take a extra lively position in shaping and directing robotics improvement alongside key companions, specializing in constructing extra resilient, responsive, and smarter options that tackle the distinctive challenges of our firm. Collectively, we’re setting new requirements for the logistics trade.”

DHL stated greater than 90% of its warehouses worldwide use at the very least one type of automation or digitalization. Different corporations that make robots to unload containers embrace Contoro Robotics, Dexterity, Mujin, Pickle Robotic, Slip Robotics, and XYZ Robotics.

“We’re proud to proceed strengthening our collaboration with DHL Group,” stated Boston Dynamics CEO Robert Playter. “Our groups have been on a journey of innovation collectively to create a sensible and efficient warehouse robotics resolution, and that is the pure subsequent step in what has been a wonderful relationship. Stretch is ideally suited to be the primary multi-use case, field selecting robotic that may meet the varied wants of DHL. Collectively, we’re striving to set an instance of sensible management of the trendy provide chain.”

Boston Dynamics continues to scale

As soon as primarily generally known as a cutting-edge analysis and improvement outfit, Boston Dynamics is more and more scaling its business robots. Throughout his keynote on the Robotics Summit & Expo, CTO Aaron Saunders stated there are 2,000+ Spot quadrupeds working all over the world. It’s now beginning to scale Stretch with DHL.

However Boston Dynamics’ largest buyer may very well be its proprietor, Hyundai. In 2021, Hyundai acquired Boston Dynamics from SoftBank for $880 million.

Hyundai stated in April 2025 it should make investments $21 billion within the U.S., together with a $6 billion funding to drive innovation and broaden strategic partnerships with U.S. corporations. It stated a part of this funding might be shopping for “tens of hundreds” of robots, some share of which might be from Boston Dynamics. Hyundai is already deploying Spot for industrial inspection and predictive upkeep at its amenities.

The automaker seems to be most , nevertheless, in Boston Dynamics’ new electrical Atlas humanoid, which Saunders mentioned at size throughout his keynote. Hyundai plans to start out testing Atlas for half sequencing duties later this yr.

“Boston Dynamics and robotics AI will play an important position in attaining the group’s objective,” said Jaehoon Chang, vice chair of Hyundai Motor Group. “Bodily AI and humanoid robots will rework our enterprise panorama to the following stage. Via our collaboration, we are going to expedite the method to attain management within the robotics trade.”

Though soft-bodied robots themselves will be pretty easy, low-cost units, they usually require advanced onboard electronics to regulate their locomotion. Such shouldn’t be the case with a brand new bot, nevertheless, which makes use of a phenomenon of physics to routinely transfer its inflatable legs.

Designed by Alberto Comoretto, Mannus Schomaker and Bas Overvelde on the Netherlands’ AMOLF institute, the tiny robotic has been in-built each two- and four-legged variants. In each circumstances, every leg consists of a loop of elastomer tubing with a kink in it.

As air is easily and repeatedly pumped into that leg, the kink strikes down the size of the tube, inflicting it to oscillate. It is the identical precept which is at work within the gyrating inflatable “tube dancers” used to advertise companies.

When the robotic’s legs are initially activated, they transfer chaotically.

Inside milliseconds, nevertheless, as they work together with each other and with the terrain, they routinely all begin transferring in unison. The bot is then able to scooting at speeds of as much as 30 physique lengths per second (on flat surfaces), which is way quicker than another air-powered robotic.

AMOLF

If the robotic breaks its stride upon stumbling on an impediment or uneven terrain, its legs get again into sync as quickly because it picks up pace once more. And much more impressively, because of the bodily properties of liquid, the buoyant bot routinely adopts a back-and-forth alternating-leg swimming gait when it enters the water.

“Easy objects, like tubes, can provide rise to advanced and useful habits, supplied we perceive learn how to harness the underlying physics,” says Assoc. Prof. Overvelde. “There is no such thing as a mind, no pc … However when correctly designed, it might outperform many robotic techniques and behave like a synthetic creature.”

It’s hoped that the know-how may sooner or later be utilized in functions reminiscent of micro-robots that ship medicine throughout the physique, energy-efficient assistive exoskeletons, or equipment designed to be used in harsh environments the place electronics could fail, reminiscent of outer house.

A paper on the research was just lately printed within the journal Science.

Supply: AMOLF