Loading packages into a trailer is a hard, exhausting job which demands physical strength and quick thinking. Since it is such a physically demanding task, it is one of the most difficult jobs in the shipping industry and that is why FedEx is introducing some robots as assistance.

FedEx is going to expand its collaboration with Dexterity Inc. so as to have smart robots working in the FedEx hub in Hagerstown, Maryland. Having spent many years in testing, they are now proceeding to a much larger scale. The primary aim is to make the heavy tasks safer and more consistent for the workers.

A Robotic Helping-Hand

The two-armed robot,  Mech; Photo: FedEx

Traditional technology has always had difficulty in automating the loading of trailers since the environment is so variable.

In order to deal with this, Dexterity designed a two-armed robot called Mech which was strong enough to be used in heavy industrial work but at the same time compact enough to fit into a shipping trailer.

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The brain of the robot is a physical AI system named Foresight, and it takes account of what it sees, how far away objects are, and the information from touch in order to make decisions in real time. Foresight calculates precisely where each package should be placed, with a focus on space, stability, and speed. This could enable FedEx to gain insight into how a physical AI system can be incorporated into their full daily routine, ranging from trailer assignments to workforce planning.

The Future of Technology

“FedEx has a long history of using technology to make our network safer, smarter, and more resilient. This expanded collaboration with Dexterity reflects our commitment to advancing capabilities that improve how we operate today while helping prepare our network for the future,” Kawal Preet, executive vice president of planning, engineering, and transformation at FedEx, explained. “As we continue evaluating and deploying physical AI in real-world environments, we see opportunities to enhance the speed, reliability, and flexibility of our network, creating long-term value for our business and customers.”

And Samir Menon, PhD, founder and CEO of Dexterity, added:

“FedEx has been an extraordinary partner, bringing deep operational expertise, an unwavering focus on safety, and a clear vision for how physical AI fits into the future of logistics. Hagerstown represents an important milestone in demonstrating how physical AI can operate reliably in a high-volume logistics environment, creating a blueprint for network expansion. This technology is not just a future promise; it can perceive, decide, and act in the real world today.”