Amazon has a new warehouse robot that, for the first time, can “feel” the items it’s handling. CNBC got an exclusive first look at Vulcan in action at a warehouse in Spokane, Washington, where it stows items in tall yellow bins. Until now, only humans could handle the stowing job, but Amazon says Vulcan will create new jobs instead of eliminating them. Amazon wouldn’t disclose how much it cost to develop Vulcan, but it says it took three years and a team that’s grown to 250 people.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction.
1:24 Sense of touch.
5:30 Replacing workers?
8:22 Speed, safety and scale.

Produced and shot by: Katie Tarasov.
Edited by: Evan Lee Miller.
Senior Director of Video: Jeniece Pettitt.
Animation: Mallory Brangan.
Additional Footage: Amazon, Getty Images.

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