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A decade after Amazon made its first foray into robotics with its acquisition of Kiva Programs, the e-commerce large is buying iRobot for $1.7 billion.
Whereas completion of the transaction continues to be topic to customary closing circumstances, the deal expands Amazon’s already in depth robotics portfolio. Right here’s a have a look at the corporate’s robotics acquisitions and a few of its investments and notable robots developed internally.
Kiva Programs
It’s unattainable to speak about Amazon’s historical past in robotics with out speaking about Kiva Programs. Amazon acquired the cell robotic firm in 2012 for $775 million. On the time, it was Amazon’s second-largest acquisition ever.
Kiva initially continued to supply cell robots to its present prospects, however that shortly got here to an finish. And in 2015, it turned Amazon Robotics. Kiva’s automated guided automobiles (AGVs) use computerized barcode stickers on the ground to navigate Amazon’s warehouses.
Amazon Robotics just lately introduced its first autonomous cell robotic (AMR), Proteus. It does comparable duties because the Kiva robots, however can work freely round Amazon employees as an alternative of caged off areas.
Dispatch
Amazon’s last-mile supply robotic, Scout. | Supply: Amazon
Amazon quietly acquired Dispatch, a last-mile supply firm, in 2017. It utilized the corporate’s know-how and experience to create Scout, which it introduced in early 2019. The six-wheeled sidewalk supply robots are absolutely electrical and travels at a strolling tempo.
Canvas Know-how
In 2019, Amazon acquired Canvas Know-how for an undisclosed quantity. Canvas Know-how used “spatial AI” to permit cell robots to navigate safely round individuals in dynamic environments. It’s probably this know-how contributed to Amazon’s Proteus AMR.
Zoox
Zoox, an autonomous car developer, was acquired by Amazon in 2020 for an undisclosed quantity, though stories prompt Amazon paid $1.2 billion for the corporate. On the time, Amazon worldwide shopper CEO Jeff Wilke stated Amazon was excited to assist the Zoox workforce convey its imaginative and prescient for a zero-emission autonomous trip hailing service to actuality.
Quickly after the acquisition, Zoox unveiled its autonomous car for the primary time. Since then, the corporate has expanded its testing to Seattle, its fourth testing metropolis, however issues have been principally quiet from the corporate.
iRobot
Amazon plans to accumulate iRobot for $1.7 billion, over double what it paid for Kiva Programs, at $61 per share in an all-cash transaction. If the deal closes, it is going to be Amazon’s fourth largest acquisition ever.
iRobot isn’t the corporate’s first enterprise into family robotics. In September 2021, Amazon unveiled Astro, primarily an Echo Present 10 on wheels. The robotic can be utilized for dwelling monitoring, video conferencing and entertaining youngsters.
iRobot will definitely increase Amazon’s shopper robotics portfolio, though iRobot has just lately been diversifying its portfolio with non-robotics merchandise. It acquired Aeris Cleantec AG, a Switzerland-based developer of air purifiers, in November 2021 for $72 million. Earlier in 2021, iRobot launched its H1 handheld vacuum, its first non-robotics product.
Different robotic pursuits
Whereas it’s not owned by Amazon, Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos’ sub-orbital spaceflight firm, acquired Honeybee Robotics for an undisclosed quantity in January 2022. Honeybee Robotics is an R&D engineering firm that has delivered greater than 1,000 initiatives to authorities and industrial prospects within the spacecraft, planetary exploration, protection robotics, medical units, mining, oil and gasoline, and utility infrastructure sectors.
Amazon introduced its $1 billion Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund in April 2022. The fund’s first spherical of investments included Agility Robotics, an organization growing a bipedal strolling robotic, BionicHIVE, an organization growing an autonomous robotic resolution that may adapt to present infrastructure in warehouses, and Mantis Robotics, an organization growing a tactile robotic arm.
Amazon has made a variety of different investments in robotics firms. For instance, it participated in a $530 million Collection B spherical of funding for autonomous car developer Aurora Innovation in early 2019.
Ring, a safety firm owned by Amazon, is growing the Ring All the time Dwelling Cam, an indoor aerial drone for safety functions. Talking of drones, Amazon just lately introduced its Prime Air supply drones will start testing in Lockeford, California and Faculty Station, Texas.
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