Online supermarket is going to test robots that take over chores in warehouse

A British online supermarket is going to use robots to repair technical defects in its warehouse. The SecondHands has to help with packing materials, cleaning and other chores. The robot must function autonomously and work via voice commands.

The SecondHands is mainly intended as an assistance for the current employees of the warehouse and must be able to carry out simple assignments and, for example, hold things, Wired writes. The first version of the humanoid robot still has wheels, but later versions may come that move in a way more like walking.

The robots are given 3D vision to be able to see depth and color, while SecondHands have to learn from the environment through artificial intelligence. The first test should take place in a year and a half and the final version should be operational from 2020. The supermarket collaborates with four European universities and receives funding from the EU, as part of the Horizon2020 programme.

Ocado is not the only company working on robots that should replace human work. The Japanese provider Softbank is going to sell a human robot that can speak to customers in stores.