Collaborative Robotics announced the public launch of Proxie, a collaborative robot designed to handle demanding material management tasks across a variety of industries. The company, founded by a team that previously scaled Amazon Robotics to significant adoption levels, unveiled Proxie as a tool to enable greater human-robot collaboration in environments ranging from healthcare to logistics.
Proxie integrates advanced artificial intelligence, mobility, and adaptable manipulation systems to navigate complex environments and assist with tasks that would otherwise require manual effort. The company states that the robot operates on three foundational principles: trustworthiness, adaptability, and usefulness. Cobot claims these features enable Proxie to integrate safely and effectively into human workspaces, complementing human workers rather than replacing them.
Brad Porter, CEO and founder of Cobot, emphasized the company’s vision for Proxie to serve as a collaborative partner rather than a substitute for human labor. “Everything about Proxie is intentionally designed to create the foundation of trust between robots and humans that is necessary for true collaboration,” Porter said. Early customers include industry leaders such as Maersk, Mayo Clinic, Moderna, Owens & Minor, and Tampa General Hospital.
Proxie incorporates several proprietary technologies aimed at enhancing its functionality in collaborative workspaces. Glide 360, its mobility platform, is designed to enable natural and seamless movement in shared environments, allowing the robot to interact smoothly with people and other machines. Scout Sense, a situational awareness system, processes its surroundings from a human perspective, improving operational precision and enabling Proxie to harmonize with its environment.
Flex Grasp, the robot’s modular manipulation system, is capable of handling a variety of objects, such as cart handles, boxes, and totes, making it highly adaptable across multiple industries. Its empathetic design includes hardware features like a balanced architecture and expressive visual cues, which are intended to foster trust and confidence in collaborative settings. Additionally, Proxie’s advanced AI capabilities allow it to learn and adapt over time, enhancing its ability to perform increasingly complex tasks and collaborate effectively with human teams.
Cobot has positioned Proxie as a solution to address operational inefficiencies in sectors such as healthcare, logistics, and manufacturing. Through partnerships with organizations including Maersk and Tampa General Hospital, the company aims to provide tailored solutions that meet specific industry challenges. These collaborations, according to Cobot, underscore Proxie’s potential to deliver flexible and intelligent automation while enabling human teams to focus on higher-level strategic work.
