Sep 10, 2018 14:00:00

Patents like putting Amazon workers in a cage are talked about

The patent obtained by Amazon in 2016 was to create a

workspace for humans to enter on a robot that looks like Roomba used in Amazon's warehouse, and to enclose it with something like a cage. The appearance was so great that it became a big topic when researchers introduced it as 'a special illustration that seems to show the sense of alienation of workers in the relationship between humans and machines.' ..

Amazon has patented a system that would put workers in a cage, on top of a robot | The Seattle Times
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/amazon/amazon-has-patented-a-system-that-would-put-workers-in-a-cage-on-top-of-a-robot/

Amazon's 2016 patents were introduced by Kate Crawford, the founder of the AI Now Institute at New York University and a senior researcher at Microsoft Research, and Vladan at Novi Sad University in Serbia. Mr. Joler. Amazon's patent was introduced in a study called 'Anatomy of a AI System' published by the two.

Anatomy of an AI System
(PDF) http://www.anatomyof.ai/img/ai-anatomy-map.pdf

According to documents, Amazon's patent for 'systems and methods for transporting people in an active workspace ' puts workers in a cage that looks like a cage and moves it to shelves in Amazon's warehouse. It is supposed to be carried by a robot that looks like a rumba called 'Kiva' that is used for this purpose. If this system is implemented, it will be possible for workers to repair robots and collect lost items even in Amazon's highly automated warehouse.

For the robot Kiva, which was supposed to carry this cage, you can understand its function better by reading the following article.

'Amazon Robotics', the creator of robots that support Amazon's speed delivery --GIGAZINE

You can check how Kiva runs around the warehouse in the following article.

Amazon Giant Warehouse Tour Movie-GIGAZINE

According to the patent documents, when an unauthorized person enters the robot's dedicated work zone in the warehouse, a warning alarm sounds and the robot is designed to be forcibly shut down. In other words, Amazon seems to have aimed to make human work and movement in the robot's workspace smoother by using this patent.

However, Amazon spokeswoman Lindsay Campbell said, 'Like many companies, Amazon has filed a number of forward-thinking patents, many of which aren't even finished or prototypes. This cage-like system isn't used in Amazon's warehouse either, 'he said.

In addition, The Seattle Times reported on the patent, and Dave Clark, senior vice president of Amazon's warehousing and logistics operations, responded. On his Twitter account, Clark said, 'Patents may also submit bad ideas. We have no plans to use such ideas. Instead, we are developing a better solution and it will be worn. It uses the smallest possible vest to stop a robot in a warehouse when it approaches a human, 'he said of a patent that seems to put previously acquired workers in a cage. It's an idea. '

Sometimes even bad ideas get submitted for patents. This was never used and we have no plans for usage. We developed a far better solution which is a small vest associates can wear that cause all robotic drive units in their proximity to stop moving.

— Dave Clark (@davehclark) September 8, 2018

In addition, Amazon has applied for many other 'patents for use in the warehouse', and there is also a system that detects the movement of the wrist and drops the product from a height of 7 meters or more. To do.

Amazon patents 'wristband for tracking worker's hand movement' --GIGAZINE