Boston Dynamics Stretch

Boston Dynamics Stretch is a mobile robot designed specifically for warehouse case handling — truck unloading and palletising. It was unveiled in March 2021 and reached commercial deployment in 2023, making it Boston Dynamics' most commercially deployed product alongside Spot. Where Atlas demonstrates what legged robots can do and Spot has found wide use in inspection and mapping, Stretch was built to do something far more specific: move boxes efficiently at a scale that justifies the capital cost.

The robot's arm has seven degrees of freedom and extends to approximately 2.1 metres (7 feet), reaching packages up to roughly 3 metres (10 feet) high. The payload is 22.7 kg (50 lbs), which covers the vast majority of standard warehouse cartons. Throughput peaks at around 800 cases per hour under optimal conditions — comparable to what a fast human worker can sustain over a short period, but maintained continuously across an 8-hour battery cycle. A 16-hour battery option is available, and the robot can also run plugged in for continuous operation.

The mobile base is omnidirectional, allowing Stretch to fit and operate in tight spaces — the design goal was for it to fit anywhere a standard pallet does. Computer vision handles package detection and orientation, with the system capable of identifying and handling a wide range of carton types, sizes, and graphics. A smart gripper with embedded sensing and active suction control manages the physical contact with packages.

DHL Supply Chain became the first commercial customer in early 2023, and through a subsequent agreement committed to deploying 1,000 or more Stretch units by 2030. The robot has since been deployed across DHL facilities in North America and Europe, with reported unloading rates of up to 700 cases per hour in live operations. The Otto Group announced plans for Stretch deployments across more than 20 facilities. A 2025 upgrade improved throughput, reduced handling errors by approximately 40%, and expanded the range of package types the system can handle reliably.