Here at Singularity Hub, we are interested in the different types of robots capable of doing a normal person’s job.  We have discussed Honda’s Asimo (who replaces the average butler) and recently talked about KIVA Systems’ warehouse robot (which makes redundant all members of the Storage Rack Lifters Union).  In case you were worried about the KIVA feeling alone (why not worry about those unemployed storage rack lifters instead?), worry not.  The KIVA no longer needs to be lonely while toiling away at the warehouse.  Meet its new friend: the Autonomous Forklift.

The autonomous forklift, currently being developed by students and faculty of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Singularity Hub regulars known for the robot gardener and sixth sense) in conjunction with Draper and Lincoln Laboratories, promises to bring a new wave of futuristic technology to today’s warehouses.  This is not your average Roomba with tines stuck on the front; it is designed from the ground up in order to work with humans in a human world.  The forklift is able to sense its surroundings and make decisions accordingly, combining agility with intelligence and allowing it to act in a constantly changing environment.

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