USA: Amazon searches for robots to boost warehouse automation

The first round of the 'Amazon Picking Challenge', Amazon's warehouse robot competition, kicked off at the Washington State Convention Centre in Seattle, Tuesday. Robots from around 30 teams from academic departments from around the world were placed in front of shelves - resembling those in grocery stores or Amazon warehouses - and had to grab one out of 25 different items like a book or a pet's toy, retrieve them safely and pack them into cardboard shipping boxes while earning points for each action performed. The winners of the competition are set to win a share of $26,000 (€23,875). The contest will conclude on Thursday, May 28. Amazon has organised the contest at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation 2015 (ICRA 2015) to boost automation in their production line and to encourage the development of more nimble-fingered and smart robots.