Industrial
Boston Dynamics Inc. this week introduced Stretch Gen 2, the second generation of its autonomous mobile trailer unloading robot. The updated machine is built to maximize uptime and streamline maintenance, drawing on more than 100,000 operating hours and tens of millions of boxes handled by the first-generation fleet.
Brian Donnelly, vice president and general manager of logistics robotics at Boston Dynamics, told The Robot Report that the company has been developing the new version for roughly two and a half years. He said the first Stretch was designed to get a product to market and into customers’ hands as quickly as possible, and it was not the easiest to manufacture because it had a lot of components. With Stretch Gen 2, the team focused on simplification, hardening the robot, and driving improved reliability and performance.
With Stretch Gen 2, the team focused on simplification, hardening the robot, and driving improved reliability and performance.
Stretch Gen 2 can unload up to 1,000 cases per hour, a rate that depends heavily on factors such as case weight and how neatly or disorderly cases are stacked. It includes a multipick feature, a battery that lasts two shifts, and a fast charger that brings it to 90% charge in about 75 minutes. The mobile manipulator also has onboard lighting for working in dark trailers and a pre-trained vision system that can detect most packages without programming.
Many of the hardware upgrades target downtime and durability. Boston Dynamics cut 81% of the internal cabling, roughly half a mile’s worth. Donnelly noted that cabling represents weight, cost, and points of failure, particularly in demanding environments. The updated modular design enables “plug and play” part swaps, supporting the goal of keeping the robot running.
The source does not detail pricing, payload specifications, reach, repeatability, certifications, or a commercial availability timeline for Stretch Gen 2.
Source: The Robot Report