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Stories Tagged as

Robots

Amazon's purchase of iRobot is a step toward more robots in our homes

by Stephanie Hughes
Aug 5, 2022
During the pandemic, people have become more comfortable with robots. Now Alexa could control a household army of Roombas, one expert says.
Amazon announced Friday that it's purchasing iRobot, the company that makes Roomba vacuum cleaners, for $1.7 billion.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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With workers scarce, some industries are turning to robots

by Savannah Peters
Jun 2, 2022
The pandemic accelerated automation purchases, according to an industry group, especially in agriculture, construction and fast food.
A fully automated fast food restaurant in San Francisco in 2015. Industries like fast food and construction increasingly rely on automation.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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More and more robots are working alongside us. What does that mean?

by David Brancaccio and Rose Conlon
Feb 1, 2022
As the cost of human workers has risen, the cost of automation has fallen.
As the cost of human workers has risen, the cost of automation has fallen.
Oli Scarff/Getty Images
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"The Gig Is Up"

Machine learning calls the shots in some work contexts

by The Econ Extra Credit Team
Dec 23, 2021
Econ Extra Credit newsletter #87
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Robots have started to share the bike lane in Austin to deliver pizza

by Nathan Bernier
Jul 9, 2021
Some cyclists aren't happy about the new arrangement, but others say it may put a new focus on bicycle infrastructure.
Riley Pakes, with Refraction AI robotics company, monitors a REV-1 delivery robot on South Congress Avenue in Austin, TX on June 16, 2021.
Gabriel C. Pérez/KUT News
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COVID-19

Pandemic innovation: Supermarkets invest in robot pickers as online ordering takes off

by Scott Tong
Mar 12, 2021
Grocery titans including Walmart, Kroger and Albertsons are developing high-tech solutions to accommodate shifting demand.
It's hard to know what grocery store jobs will look like in the future as automation advances.
Stephen Chernin/Getty Images
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COVID-19

Are businesses automating at a faster rate thanks to COVID-19?

by Sabri Ben-Achour
Oct 21, 2020
A forced digitization is taking place, as is a rethinking of how business should get done.
A bartender makes drinks at an event promoting AI in London last year.
Leon Neal/Getty Images
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COVID-19

What will manufacturing look like as companies start to reopen?

by Mitchell Hartman
May 27, 2020
Even in sectors where demand is high, the coronavirus has slowed production.
More automation could be a solution to crowded, hands-on production lines.
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
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Shelf Life

What happens when a robot can lay bricks?

by Bridget Bodnar and Kai Ryssdal
Jan 23, 2020
The story of how a small band of inventors and engineers built a machine that could lay bricks. It's way harder than it sounds.
(Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
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Walmart to use more robot technology for store tasks

by Jack Stewart
Apr 10, 2019
Walmart will further its use of robots to keep labor costs down.
Several of Walmart's "automated assistants"
Walmart
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