EP.68 ONE MILLION ROBOTS DEPLOYED AT AMAZON
Update from LimX Dynamics, pallet moving robot company gets funding, a new hand for dexterous manipulation & much more...
One million robots working for Amazon 💯
Amazon has officially deployed its one millionth robot, marking a major milestone in its warehouse automation strategy. The announcement coincided with the release of DeepFleet, a generative AI model designed to improve the efficiency of Amazon’s robotic fleet.
The one millionth robot was delivered to an Amazon fulfillment center in Japan, capping off more than a decade of robotic integration since the company’s 2012 acquisition of Kiva Systems. According to The Wall Street Journal, Amazon is now approaching parity between the number of robots and human workers in its global logistics operations. Currently, 75% of all Amazon deliveries are assisted by some form of robotics.
The new AI model, DeepFleet, was developed using Amazon SageMaker and trained on proprietary warehouse and inventory data. Amazon claims the model will boost robotic routing speeds by 10%, improving coordination across fulfillment centers.
The announcement also highlights the company's latest robotic platform, Vulcan, introduced earlier this year. Vulcan features dual arms—one for manipulating inventory, the other equipped with a camera and suction system for precision picking.
A humanoid that moves like a human 🤖
Shenzhen’s LimX Dynamics is turning heads with its latest humanoid robot, the CL‑3, revealed in a recent video that showcases remarkably human-like motion. Featuring around 31 to 52 degrees of freedom and standing at approximately 164 cm tall, CL‑3 executes fluid, full-body warm-up routines—stretching arms overhead, twisting at the waist, swinging its limbs, and even curling its arms—delivering an uncanny mimicry of post-work stretches.
At the core of CL‑3’s impressive mobility are its hollow, high-torque-density actuators, designed for enhanced power-to-weight efficiency and balance. These components support agile gestures like parallel squats, waist rotations, and controlled ground lifts.
LimX credits its “VideoGenMotion” (VGM) system for enabling this natural motion. VGM allows CL‑3 to learn from human movement videos—automatically translating visual input into coordinated humanoid motion patterns. The CL‑3 recently progressed further, demonstrating smooth outdoor gait and stability on uneven surfaces.
Meme of the week
Robots get a human touch with Torobo hand 🖖🏽
Tokyo Robotics is pushing the boundaries of dexterous manipulation with its Torobo Hand, a multi-fingered, human-sized robotic hand designed to bring nuanced tactile intelligence to the robotics ecosystem. With 12 actuated joints, 194 embedded tactile sensors, and a form factor that mirrors the human hand, the Torobo Hand bridges the gap between industrial utility and human-like responsiveness.
Beyond hardware, the system is supported by a robust software stack, including open-source integration with RViz, MuJoCo, and Isaac Sim. This allows researchers to train and test grasping policies in simulation before deploying to physical robots. Real-time visualization and logging of joint positions and pressure data also help accelerate development cycles in machine learning-based grasping projects.
Its 2 kg form factor, fingertip force capacity of ~10 N, and compatibility with common collaborative arms make it a versatile option for advanced manipulation tasks.
For robotics educators, R&D teams, or system integrators seeking to advance manipulation performance, the Torobo Hand presents a ready-to-deploy solution designed for a new generation of physically aware machines.
Filics raises $13.5M to expand their pallet robots 📦
Munich-based robotics startup Filics has secured €13.5 million in fresh funding to scale its autonomous pallet transport technology. The round was supported by major investors including Sandwater, Alven, F-LOG Ventures, and the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund, alongside returning backers Capnamic and 10x Founders.
The capital will accelerate development and deployment of the Filics Unit, a compact double-runner robotic system designed for automated intralogistics. By the end of 2025, the company plans to optimize the platform for use in floor block storage warehouses, with further European expansion expected in 2026.
Founded in 2019 by engineers from the Technical University of Munich, Filics has developed a uniquely efficient robot pairing that autonomously lifts and moves pallets using minimal floor space.
The system's autonomous mobility allows it to drive completely underneath and through pallets placed on the floor—without requiring turning space—making it a standout solution for high-density warehouses. Future plans include adapting the technology for autonomous truck loading in under five minutes.
With backing from logistics players like DHL and Nagel Group during its testing phases, Filics is positioning itself as a flexible, space-optimized alternative to traditional material handling systems in modern logistics environments.
