[The Editors' Verdict] Our Journey to Liberation from Parcel Loading and Unloading

Robots Take Over Grueling Parcel Logistics Work
SlipBot Handles Tasks Once Done by Ten People
Amazon Unveils Vulcan, a Tactile Robot with Delicate Precision

Parcel loading and unloading work is considered one of the most physically demanding jobs in South Korea. Stories such as "Loading parcels for three trucks non-stop for two hours felt truly hellish," and "Even foreign workers who came to earn money shook their heads," are by no means exaggerations. Workers spend entire days carrying heavy boxes without rest, often in facilities without proper air conditioning. The fact that ambulances were dispatched 22 times in just one year at a logistics center in Dongtan clearly illustrates how grueling and dangerous this job is.

Amid this harsh reality, a small spark of hope is emerging. This is because robotic technology that controls parcel logistics is advancing rapidly. Research and commercialization efforts to automate truck loading and unloading are progressing quickly. The 'SlipBot' developed by the American company Slip Robotics can complete trailer loading and unloading 75% faster with a single robot, compared to the previous method which required 10 people and took an hour and a half.

Global companies such as Boston Dynamics and Honeywell are also releasing robots that fully automate truck and container loading and unloading. Boston Dynamics' 'Stretch' automates palletizing tasks using a high-performance robotic arm and suction pads. Honeywell's 'Unloader' robot can automatically unload a variety of products from trucks, trailers, and containers, and a single operator can manage several robots at once. Additionally, a robot from the US company Dexterity AI uses AI and 3D vision to recognize the location and shape of boxes in real time, enabling fast and safe loading and unloading operations.

The tactile robot 'Vulcan' from Amazon, the top e-commerce company, is also drawing attention. On May 7 (local time), Amazon unveiled Vulcan for the first time at the 'Delivering the Future' event held in Dortmund, Germany. Vulcan combines tactile sensors that detect force and pressure with AI, allowing it to adjust its grip strength in real time according to the weight, material, and shape of products. It can delicately handle items that are highly susceptible to damage, such as glass, vinyl, and irregular packaging.

According to Amazon, Vulcan can pick up and move 75% of the one million items in a warehouse at a speed similar to that of a human, and operates continuously for more than 20 hours a day. It is especially effective in areas that are physically demanding for humans, such as the very top and bottom of shelves that are 2.3 meters high. This robot is already in operation at several logistics centers in the United States and Germany. Vulcan focuses on relatively precise tasks, such as retrieving hundreds of thousands of items from shelves and transferring them to packing lines. In exceptional cases, such as items with complex shapes or special packaging, human intervention is still required.

The emergence of the aforementioned automation robots, along with the delicate AI sensors demonstrated by Vulcan, offers hope that people may soon be completely freed from repetitive and hazardous logistics control tasks. The future is drawing closer, where workers can operate in safer and more respectful environments. We believe that the era of 'Meoksanism', upgraded by advanced technology?where robots handle tasks that can be automated and humans focus on more creative and valuable work?is just around the corner. We hope that this news brings at least a little warmth and hope to the many workers who continue to sweat silently at loading and unloading sites today.