Robotic Distribution
Why Hacker News recommends it
HN commenters link it as a concrete picture of Kiva-style robotic warehouses whenever threads discuss warehouse automation and same-day delivery.
What it is
A short 2009 WIRED clip showing Kiva Systems robots moving inventory shelves in a warehouse serving online retailer Zappos. It shows how mobile robots bring goods to pickers instead of people walking the aisles.
Recommended by 0 HN commenters across 0 different months, 2012 to 2014.
What Hacker News said
Cites schiffern · 2012-02 · on “I Was a Warehouse Wage Slave: Inside the online-shopping shipping machine”
>I would be curious about the energy needs per unit, though. An 180 lb person speed walking at 5 mph burns 650 Calories/hr. That's 80¢/shift in electricity. But that's not the big savings. Humans need lights and air-conditioning – robots don't. [this video]
Cites hosh · 2012-07 · on “Amazon Career Choice Program”
Sounds like Amazon is telegraphing its intentions for increasing automation in warehouses, a la Zappos. [this video]
Cites htf · 2012-11 · on “Google acquires BufferBox (YC S12)”
Self-driving cars + robot arm + bufferbox = extremely cheap, fully automated delivery service. Add a robotic distribution center [this video] and you have an automated Amazon competitor. If, on top of that, Google turns your Google account into a bank account, you'll be able to buy literally with one click. Google's dominance in mobile with Android will ensure that everyone has a Google bank account through which you can make most of your purchases. If you're a manufacturer, Google will take care of all your advertising for free, just so long as you give them a tiny cut of each sale. Google will be a trillion dollars company.
Cites espeed · 2013-03 · on “Google Is Building A Same-Day Amazon Prime Competitor, “Google Shopping Express””
KIVA Systems' robots ( [LINK] ) revolutionized warehouse automation. Zappos was using KIVA when Amazon acquired Zappos, and then Amazon acquired KIVA for $775 million. See "Autonomous Robots Invade Retail Warehouses" ( [LINK] ) KIVA @ Zappos: [this video] I doubt Amazon is going to permit a contract between KIVA and Google so it will be interesting to see Google's innovations in this space.
Cites yazaddaruvala · 2014-11 · on “Li-Fi Gets Ready to Compete with Wi-Fi”
Have you heard of/seen Kiva robots? If the floor could just blink to the robot, that would be pretty cool! Especially if Li-Fi is cheaper / higher throughput. [this video]