This AI-Enabled Robotic Arm Can Pack Boxes Efficiently

In New York, an AI-enabled robotic arm has been developed by researchers, which helps human to pack boxes more efficiently, thus saving more money and time.

Nowadays, AI is developing rapidly, from self-driving vehicles to Siri. In science fiction, AI is often seen as robots having characteristics like a human; however, it can be anything, from autonomous weapons, Watson of IBM to Google’s algorithms in searching.

The researchers in New York created a team to handle different features of the problem that a robot has while packing. In the study introduced at the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, the research team said that they made use of robust motion, hardware, and 3D perception to make the robotic arm.

Currently, there is an increasing trend in which robots are deployed to carry out retail, warehouse, and logistics tasks; this research on AI-enabled robotic arm is part of that trend. Automating those tasks is essential for the competitiveness of companies. It also allows people to concentrate on less manual work and skilled employment.

Kostas Bekris, Rutgers University’s Associate Professor, said:

The research team developed algorithms and software for its AI-enabled robotic arms. The researchers made use of visual data as well as a simple suction cup that doubles as the push for objects.

The system is capable of toppling objects to have an ideal surface for grabbing them. Besides, with the help of sensor data, the system can move objects to the targeted place and push them together.

People spotted the AI-enabled robotic arm on YouTube in which it packs objects tightly. Its speed is five times faster than when the task is done by hand.