As a global leader in e-commerce and logistics, the Otto Group has embraced robotics as a way to boost operational efficiency and safety. Founded in 1949, the Otto Group is a €16 billion conglomerate of 100 companies—including OTTO, Crate and Barrel, and Bonprix—across 30 countries. It also operates one of the most popular e-commerce platforms in Germany, as well as Hermes, one of the largest parcel and delivery services in Europe.

In 2023, the Otto Group announced a plan to deploy Boston Dynamics’ case handling robot Stretch in more than 20 facilities and its quadruped robot Spot in more than 10 by 2025. The initiative marks the first large-scale deployment of both robots within the same enterprise—and the debut of Stretch in Europe. Stretch is currently deployed in the Hermes Fulfilment center in Haldensleben, where it unloads boxes from trailers and shipping containers.

“The Otto Group is actively shaping the future of logistics on an ongoing basis and being the first company to implement Stretch in our warehouse proves that we are on the right path,” said Tomek Pauer, a project manager in the Supply Chain Management arm of the Otto Group.

Enhancing production and safety

Stretch helps the Hermes logistics center improve operations and maintain high safety standards in accordance with Germany’s national standards, as well as directives from the European Union regarding occupational safety and health in the workplace. Pauer said the robot tackles the grueling job of unloading heavy cases so that employees can take on more valuable assignments.

“Stretch really supports us in a very labor-intensive process in the warehouse,” said Pauer. “The adaptability of Stretch to our boxes and our processes has been very impressive so far.”

A blue and white quadruped Spot robot stands in front of conveyance systems.

Spot, between three sites, supports predictive maintenance efforts by collecting thermal images, conducting acoustic vibration detection, reading analog gauges, and detecting ultrasonic air and gas leaks. Spot’s ability to run autonomous missions also provides additional safety by monitoring fire exits and identifying small structural changes in storage racks.

“Spot is supporting us with different maintenance and security tasks,” said Pauer. “It improves worker safety, reduces unplanned downtime, and saves energy costs.”

A robotic arm bent over a conveyor grips a cardboard box using its suction gripper, with a wall of boxes behind.

Extraordinary power and dexterity

Stretch is able to move boxes with speed and precision because of a single robotic arm that has seven degrees of freedom (DOF), or seven independent joints, along with an intelligent gripper at the end of the arm. These joints give the arm extraordinary dexterity in tight spaces when moving boxes. The gripper contains vacuum suction cups that grasp packages carefully and securely.

The robot’s compact, wheeled base allows it to move inside narrow containers, while its onboard vision system perceives where boxes are located in real time so it can calculate the best way to grip them, and in what order. Once an operator drives Stretch into a container and runs a safety check, the robot begins work.

“The operator essentially presses ‘go’ and Stretch begins moving boxes all on its own,” said Andre Brueckner, a Boston Dynamics product manager.

Wireless communication with conveyors

Stretch will first detect the foremost layer of boxes, as well as the walls and ceiling of the container. The robot’s arm then grabs the first box and spins around to place it on the conveyor belt, while its onboard vision system is already deciding which box to grab next.

Because Stretch runs on battery power, it is completely decoupled from any power source. As Stretch advances deeper into a container, it wirelessly communicates with the telescopic conveyor to extend to follow it in or back out, as needed, much like a dance.

“The robot is automatically communicating with the conveyor belts,” said Brueckner. “That means as Stretch pulls forward, the conveyor belt also pulls forward. If Stretch has to pull backward for any reason, the conveyor belt will automatically also move backward.”

A warehouse worker stands, arms folded, in front of a blue robot and green conveyor belt.

Simple to learn

Hermes associate Marcel Günther said that learning how to operate Stretch felt like child’s play. Günther processes inbound freight for the company and was impressed that a robot of this size can handle packages with such a delicate touch.

“Learning Stretch was fairly simple and easy for any tech-savvy person to operate,” Günther said. “Stretch handles the boxes as any normal person would, with the same care and sensitivity.”

Stretch also spares employees from having to work in tough conditions, especially when the hot summer sun heats up metal shipping containers. Stretch can work in both hot and cold extremes for long hours without a break.

“Health and workplace safety is a real focus,” said Brueckner. “Keeping operators out of the dark, the cold, the hot container is really important for workers here and in the EU.”

Günther added that Stretch is also a tremendous benefit during peak seasons when the volume of inbound loads fluctuates and the team may have to scale the unloading process with short notice.

“It’s like a second man for us,” Günther said.

Essential picking and placement features

One capability that was necessary for Hermes operations enables Stretch to place boxes on the conveyor with their shipping labels facing sideways so that label scanners can read them.

“This is important because basically the entire line upstream is automated and there are scanners that rely on the boxes being placed this way,” Winsor added. 

A range of box picking approaches also gives Stretch the flexibility to handle a wide variety of cases. In addition to picking a box from the front surface or the top, Stretch can pick a box from the side as well, and that allows the gripper to get more suction cups onto the most surface area available, allowing the robot to handle heavy cases more effectively.

“Stretch is able to calculate which side is the most optimal to make a stable pick and stable placement,” said Boston Dynamics project engineer JoJo Winsor. “Stretch can pretty much handle any type of cardboard container, boxes with graphics on them, boxes of different colors, boxes with some level of damage or bulging even. It can handle some of the heavier cases on the high end of what a one-person lift would be at this site.”

Safety zone

Given the high priority of safety, Stretch uses lidar (light detection and ranging) to make a virtual “fence” on either side of the conveyor. If anyone crosses this virtual line, Stretch immediately stops operation to prevent any potential injury. 

“That creates a safe interface between Stretch and the people who are working in the warehouse,” said Winsor.

Smooth deployment

The installation of the robots at the Hermes site took less than a week. A Boston Dynamics team arrived on site and began the deployment and training process. Brueckner said it typically takes two days to certify an operator.

“The operators have all been really engaged and really excited to work with the robot,” said Brueckner. “It has been super exciting.”

Pauer praised the Boston Dynamics team for a smooth deployment and ongoing partnership. The level of support he and his team have received gives him confidence to embrace additional applications for both Spot and Stretch in the near future.

“From the shipping process towards the implementation and getting it operational, everything went great,” he said. “We had a good communication line here, which really helped us in preparing the employees on site. We are very satisfied with the process.”