Amazon Unveils Vulcan: A Robot with a Sense of Touch

At the Delivering the Future event in Germany, Amazon introduced Vulcan, a robot endowed with a sense of touch. 

Meet Vulcan, our first robot with a sense of touch. ? ?️
This innovative system combines physical AI with novel hardware solutions—like computer vision, tactile sensing, and machine learning—to reimagine how we complete orders for our customers.

With the ability to pick and… pic.twitter.com/OIvGGi0ghJ

— Amazon (@amazon) May 7, 2025

The company noted that despite their achievements—winning at chess, driving on city streets, pulling dog hair from carpets—robots lack feelings. When they collide with something, they stop immediately, as they are unaware of the impact.

“Vulcan represents a fundamental leap forward in robotics. It doesn’t just see the world; it feels it, enabling capabilities previously unimaginable for Amazon robots,” said Aaron Parness, the company’s Director of Applied Sciences.

Vulcan assists in collecting and stacking cargo.

“Built on advancements in robotics, engineering, and physical artificial intelligence, Vulcan makes our employees’ work easier and safer, enhancing order fulfillment efficiency,” the company claims.

Vulcan is not Amazon’s first robot capable of lifting items. Systems like Sparrow, Cardinal, and Robin use computer vision and suction cups to move individual products or packages. Proteus, Titan, and Hercules lift and transport carts with goods across fulfillment centers. However, with its sense of touch, Vulcan opens new possibilities for improving enterprise operations, according to the corporation.

Amazon stores goods in fabric-lined capsules. Placing and removing them from tight spaces is challenging for robots lacking human-like dexterity. Vulcan is the first to possess such skills. 

Tye Brady, Chief Technologist at @Amazon Robotics, gave the #FortuneAILondon audience a look at Vulcan, the company’s new warehouse robot with a sense of touch. pic.twitter.com/7YwNZHaxUq

— FORTUNE (@FortuneMagazine) May 7, 2025

The robot uses an “end-of-arm tool” resembling a ruler attached to a hair straightener, along with feedback sensors that inform it how much pressure it applies to an object or how firmly it grips it. This allows for pressure control without damaging the goods.

Amazon asserts that Vulcan is trained based on physical data, including force and touch feedback.

Back in 2025, Boston Dynamics’ humanoid robot Atlas will begin operations at a Hyundai plant in the United States.

In April, Elon Musk announced a disruption in the production of Tesla’s Optimus robots due to export restrictions on rare earth metals imposed by Beijing amid escalating trade tensions with Washington.

In the same month, a half-marathon in China featured 21 humanoid robots, and the startup Rice Robotics introduced the companion Floki minibot M1, allowing its owners to earn RICE tokens.