How many robots does it take to run a grocery store?

In Ocado's grocery warehouses, thousands of mechanical boxes move on the Hive. Are they all individual robots? Or is this one giant hive mind? • Thanks to Ocado: www.ocadogroup... (this video is not sponsored, and they had no editorial control).
Reference: Strandwitz P. (2018). Neurotransmitter modulation by the gut microbiota. Brain research, 1693(Pt B), 128-133. doi.org/10.101... -- I should probably have put a "might" in there, but that's a thorough review of research and I think the claim just about holds up!
Edited by Michelle Martin / @onthecrux
Filmed safely: www.tomscott.c...
Thanks to Grant Hurst from Casual Historian for suggesting the title: / grantghurst
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[@TomScottGo]

Just to be clear, this video isn't sponsored! I've wanted to do a video about group vs individual for a while, so this worked really well. Ocado invited me for a warehouse tour, but I've not been paid a penny, and they had zero editorial control over the final video.

[@Memecious]

Ur awesome

[@ShikariKrunker]

Ur mind blowing ❤️

[@Riemann_Zeta_Function]

Hi Tom!

[@Artoliann]

This video is really cool & interesting!

[@HEJOK254]

That's cool!

[@ShortHax]

How did all these robots pass the ‘I am not a robot test’ to be eligible to work...

[@spywalkz1]

There hacking

[@Nekiplex]

@@spywalkz1 d-did you edit that to make sure it was the wrong there. You madman

[@spywalkz1]

@@Nekiplex no i just changed what i was supposed to say

[@mohit_panjwani]

@@spywalkz1 what your doing m8?

[@JockMurphy]

If they fail the test, they get to apply

[@Bagofnowt]

This looks like sci-fi. Not just in a 'wow, so futuristic' way but my brain can't accept this isn't CGI

[@LN997-i8x]

At times, it honestly looks like a render you'd see from a tech startup.

[@Zveebo]

It’s very weird to think I have had groceries delivered from this place. I had no idea quite how futuristic it was compared to Amazon etc!

[@praalgraf]

looks almost minecraft-y with the squares

[@Dumb-Comment]

We had this technology back in 1970 but we didn't have the money or opportunity to do it

[@foty8679]

@@Zveebo Amazon uses many robots too, but not to this extend

[@SSM24_]

My favorite thing about this is how 2 weeks after this video went up, they had an accident where two robots collided and caused a gigantic fire that cost them like 50 million dollars.

[@aaronisnotalive]

The Tom Scott Curse

[@Squidlark]

All that automated carrot-picking and they couldn't automate a fire suppression system? Talk about backwards priorities.

[@doms.6701]

That's not a lot when you consider how much money is spent every day in total. How much money do you think people steal from stores by taking goods?

[@drac124]

Weird because the fire was in 2019 and this video is 2021

[@CaSjUs212]

@@drac124 there also was a fire in 2021, as well as 2019.

[@akrinornoname2769]

So, to summarise, everything is as the Hivemind commands.

[@duo496]

The Hive Commands The Drone Obeys

[@neocuz2530]

Prepare to be assimilated!

[@happysongs4kyrone]

Prepare to die ya’ll

[@outdateduser7036]

Except for that orange light bot

[@The23rdGamer]

The missile is aware of where it is

[@cameroncalzone8860]

just 20 years ago this would be a scene in a sci-fi movie

[@Mirandur]

I visited a facility in Norway with these installed in 2007 or so. They had already existed a few years by then. So sci-fi 20 years ago? Might be. 15 years ago? Not so much.

[@Firex64]

@@Mirandur are those things really 15 years old and i hear about them just now?

[@Firex64]

Those things can be in a sci-fi movie even now

[@Mirandur]

From the AutoStore (the system I saw, which is very similar to the one shown here) webpages, their robots of this kind was actually prototyped in the late 90's... They're more than two decades old.

[@清德賴-v7q]

Cameron Butler Actually. China started to use it more than ten years ago. This is not a new technology. .

[@owoheck2176]

Why are Kinects so good at doing anything but the thing they were designed for

[@rockyfalldownstairs]

Microsoft invented a tool and put it to use as a toy.

[@jwoods9659]

HAHAH

[@MrShadowRaiden]

because the hardware in the kinect is insane for its price. it was also just a software issue.

[@ac130kz]

Kinects are cheap and fairly accurate for such tasks

[@DopeyFish]

@@GudieveNing it's not that they were ruined... it's just that the general public is largely an uncontrolled environment. that's why in a scenario such as this, it works just fine because it's a controlled environment. in an uncontrolled environment, it's trying to figure out what the hell it's looking at, it has different sized people, with different clothes which aren't all the same in environments with all sorts of random objects that reflect the IR dots in different ways... and on top of it all? expectations. Real world use by customers have the expectation of zero fail. In this environment, you'd potentially have a failed pick. a QC/audit would notice some issues and be resolved, some failures would show up on delivery and be resolved through receipt correction. you can't resolve a real time issue in the same way. once it's wrong, it's wrong and it has failed. Kinect as a gameplay device would require complete consistency to be considered working flawlessly. Here? It just needs to be mostly right and the task will likely still be completed 99.999% of the time.

[@johnnykiehn1872]

Am I crazy or does anyone else wanna hold a race from one side of the warehouse to the other while dodging grocery robots and avoiding falling in the crates?

[@crowned-blue]

Probably you are crazy

[@johnnykiehn1872]

@@crowned-blue u cant lie tho it'd be fun...

[@crowned-blue]

@@johnnykiehn1872 maybe

[@m_affiliates]

now that you mention it

[@jsl151850b]

That's Frogger.

[@baerlauchstal]

“A bag of potatoes, a chicken, four tins of tomatoes…” “I can’t do that, Dave.”

[@r1w3d]

Can't open the pod bay doors either...

[@nonkey74]

@@r1w3d i think we both know why...

[@robertcartier5088]

"Daisy... Dai-sy... daay zyyy...

[@tomx641]

You need to ask in the correct language. Try this: "Worek ziemniaków, kurczak, cztery puszki pomidorów"

[@robertcartier5088]

@@tomx641 You sound like my old modem!

[@GarethSoye]

“Robots” is the nicest thing anyone who has ever worked in a grocery store has been called.

[@amiscellaneoushuman3516]

The word "robot" is derived from the Czech word for serf so... maybe not

[@tacitus5665]

They are Bio robots

[@MarktheRude]

@@amiscellaneoushuman3516 Well if they have taken a bank-loan, they are nothing but serfs.

[@letterslayer7814]

management in a nutshell robots regurgitating emails

[@sentryzero]

I’m glad they found a use for all those Kinects.

[@mrkrisq]

industrial sensor (TOF) costs arouns 20k$, while kinect around 100?

[@moon-guy]

@@mrkrisq smells like woooosh spirit

[@ez45]

@@moon-guy not really?

[@okami_6]

@@moon-guy they still understood the joke

[@StoryMode180]

Just for clarification, someone did spot the xbox logo on one of their sensors ( 2:27 ), so, Sentry was being literal; Krysztof Gq was probably just explaining the cost savings and the whooshes today are on the fact that this wasn't a joke; but it is still tremendously funny.

[@ichuisaac123]

Seeing Kinects being used in these projects is kinda like how people used to buy PS2s just for the dvd player

[@door-to-doorhentaisalesman2978]

So this thing is like a super huge and super fancy vending machine.

[@familiarsting4108]

Essentially

[@CymruEmergencyResponder]

Not any more. It caught fire this week.

[@jwalster9412]

@@CymruEmergencyResponder it did?

[@CymruEmergencyResponder]

@@jwalster9412 yup!

[@Bleilock1]

@@CymruEmergencyResponder why does this doesnt surprise me hahaha

[@mehmedcanozkan3268]

They must REALLY enjoy naming their army of robots “the HIVE”. What can go wrong :)))

[@TheDJ42]

Resistance is futile.

[@rawr51919]

@@TheDJ42 Ah yes, the Borg would be happy about this

[@mehmedcanozkan3268]

🖖🏻

[@TickyTack23]

Resistance is futile.

[@str3tchybo1]

Next thing you know their going to try and turn our moon into a warship

[@TCBYEAHCUZ]

1980: Skynet will see humanity as a threat and anihilate us. 2021: A 24 pack of KrispyKreme donuts? say no more fam.

[@MorseASMR]

This is how it starts ;)

[@SlocumJoe7740]

24 KrispyKreme donuts is how they annihilate us.

[@daviddavidson2357]

So obesity and heart disease rather than nukes?

[@jacobferrera1777]

@@daviddavidson2357 slow and steady wins the race?

[@Propane_Acccessories]

@@daviddavidson2357 violence is not needed for the elite to bring the slave class to its knees. All you need are PCR tests.

[@snarkfinder2621]

With more of these type of plants operating, I can see manufacturers being encouraged to supply their products in only a few standard sized packets. Much easier to pack an order if the packets are similar sizes.

[@MKUltra-ti8ts]

Эти роботы не безопасны , они горят 🔥🔥🔥

[@Jimbo7]

It's hilarious that the Kinect was dogshit for gaming but is used in so many sophisticated commercial systems

[@aaronhpa]

It kinda works all around, the problem are the humans 😂

[@cypherusuh]

It's difficult to identify human, since we comes in different size, shape, and color

[@hoteldrama4662]

@@cypherusuh Plus humans are wearing clothing and surrounded by weird objects and clutter, making things more difficult. Throw a naked human in an empty room against solid color and it makes things much easier.

[@trashking1867]

Was

[@Kaenwith]

@@hoteldrama4662 Look up "The Human Depository"

[@alexmcp5153]

fiction: "calling your dystopian novel's horde of autonomous robots 'the hivemind' is extremely on the nose." real life: "here, we have the hivemind! Come take a factory tour!"

[@jackreid2664]

The key difference being that in real life they can't rebel

[@jameswyatt1304]

@@jackreid2664 Yet

[@josephburchanowski4636]

@@jackreid2664 But the humans that control them can rebel. We are soon approaching a future where there is a risk of democracies being overthrown by a handful of people controlling a robot army. An interesting corollary that comes from the combination of the CGP Grey videos "Humans need not apply" and "The Rules For Rulers".

[@KooblayKhan]

When these robots rebel, so many people are going to be getting the wrong back of crisps. CHAOS WILL REIGN!

[@vincenth.8709]

@@jameswyatt1304 Aw shi the robots gon purposely get my order wrong.

[@SarahZ]

I am OBSESSED with the fact that they actually call it The Hivemind. That rules. If that thing turns evil I will be 100% okay with it.

[@Soosss]

The Attack of the Shopping Bots

[@EatMyShortsAU]

Soon they will invade your home and start packing your fridge and throwing your rubbish in the bin.

[@Ron.S.]

Pac(k)-Man

[@SnailSandwich]

Yes, when these bots turn evil, they'll bring single-ply toilet paper instead of the good stuff.

[@shiny4984]

90% roboticaly operated grocery store, aamed "the hive" has turned evil and is delivering bombs tha look like bananas to over 100 thousand diferent residents around city

[@davidl9155]

Perfect length, very well explained, retained my attention, and learned a lot. Can confidently say this is a 10/10 video

[@NazriB]

Lies again? Business Trips 7%GST

[@mattaroo6580]

I work as an Analyst for Ocado Technology and actually am part of the development of the robotic arms. To see Tom make a video on this AND see my boss in it has honestly made my week 😂

[@randallflagg9498]

Well I just spent a few minutes spying out my car in the car park. I’m actually a bit gutted I didn’t get to meet Tom!

[@nmanbamboo1980]

Really... cool, how long did it take for them to get the entire structure...er.. hive functional?

[@mattaroo6580]

@Sarcrai, not entirely sure how I can "prove" it without doxxing myself or exposing info I shouldn't. But also not sure why I would be bullshitting 😂

[@DavidInSydney1]

Fascinating technology. Was this all developed in the UK and were the robots manufactured there as well?

[@umum6427]

whats your salary yearly and how many people like you are employed in ocado

[@edocor8081]

The fact a place called “The Hive” exists, and it’s controlled by an entity actually called “The Hive Mind”, is just so cool

[@jackreid2664]

It really is

[@jackreid2664]

@@DrTheRich but observe the minute beauty of the hive at play, thrumming with movement all in step.

[@Adama.1]

@@DrTheRich scared little kitten you are

[@nanamacapagal8342]

@@jackreid2664 No offense but you sound like a deranged scientist from a dystopian novel when you say that

[@DanceySteveYNWA]

It's not an 'entity'. It's just code based on algorithms.

[@evan]

This is the most futuristic thing I’ve ever seen Jesus how did I not know we were already at the point of the hive?? 🤯

[@cuckmasterflex9106]

_Do not resist the hive, we are now all the hive._ _HAIL THE HIVE_

[@Veni_Vidi_Vortice]

Just try shopping at Lidl for a return to some good old-fashioned human chaos and disorganisation.

[@DarkRedman31]

And it's nothing compared to the documentary of China high-tech they have the same stuff but with smaller and much faster robots.

[@TimJBucci]

Imagine what the military industrial complex has underground.

[@DarthSmirnoff]

The Hive didn't want you to know. It's keeping secrets from you.

[@EastAnglianBushcraft]

im a maintenance engineer in the food industry and i can't even begin to imagine the ball ache for their maintenance engineers haha. simple idea but mind blowing technology

[@KISSMYACE3203]

"There's 3D cameras..." *Camera tilt to Xbox Kinect cameras

[@hellomynameiskoolaid3829]

lmao, I saw that too. prolly cheaper than them to use that than to build their own. freaking hilarious tho

[@user-sx1fg7lc3c]

I literally paused it and zoomed in when i saw that 'x' in a circle logo 😂🤣

[@adammoonface]

Some of my clients are in the military and electronic warfare markets, and they use Xbox controllers for weapons systems! Why reinvent the wheel, when one of the biggest companies in the world has done the r&d already?

[@NihongoWakannai]

@@adammoonface It's the same for weaponry. The military doesn't invent their own guns, they just get manufacturers to invent some new guns and have their designs compete for contracts.

[@kransurfing]

They're so good that's why!! I'm glad so see them in a commercial setting

[@helljester8097]

I think the executive who came up with the idea of calling the central computer the “hive mind” was totally aware of the kind of reaction it would create and took pleasure in imposing it as the official way to refer to it during meetings and guided tours of the warehouse.

[@azeria1]

The hive fits tbh the robots are like specialised bugs the wars house is like a nest for them

[@safe-keeper1042]

Obviously.

[@deezboyeed6764]

I mean to be fair engineers, system and computer designers call things by what they are, look at how often slave and master are used etc.

[@jacobscott2473]

I love that an Xbox One's Kinect is part of the hardware for this project, it really is some underappreciated tech. It must have broken some hearts in Microsoft when it didn't really take off in the entertainment sector

[@cappuccino-1721]

I have a feeling it will make a comeback in the future, especially when VR gets more popular

[@darrylmcneil6773]

I thought I was the only one who saw that

[@KojoGotMojo]

@@cappuccino-1721 I agree, people can even make cheap mo-cap animations with it too.

[@ugwuanyicollins6136]

@@cappuccino-1721 what about valve's base station

[@NohusBluxome]

@@ugwuanyicollins6136 They are completely different things. A Kinect is a bunch of sensors, Valve's base stations are not sensors at all, the sensors are in the VR headset/controllers, and they detect the base stations.

[@relaxationstation7374]

I'm just totally amazed that they had that much available space in the whole of England!

[@danielwalton8633]

common misconception, lookup how much free space the uk actually has

[@56independent42]

@@danielwalton8633Common misinterpretation, look up what a joke is

[@bobdebouwer7835]

When corporations need space the government can be very fast.

[@harrisongilbert]

I’m sorry, since when was a British shopping chain building Skynet?

[@criticaldrift5234]

Most of our larger stores do, DIY chains have been going skynet for years. I was working at the beginings of one in 2008.

[@discover854]

Since technology made these types of system cheaper. I noticed the progression of Amazon warehouse is getting more automated by the day. 10 years ago, Amazon used to give their workers an ipad that timed them to navigate throughout the warehouse for specific item on specific aisle. Now, the worker just stand there and a robot will bring the item to them to organized into shipping boxes. This warehouse is just another step beyond the latest changes. Its only a matter of time before they remove human all together and only need 2 workers to keep the place running.

[@chrismantonuk]

It’s always the quiet ones....

[@dutubsucks]

This is a fairly "standardized" type of system by now, I've seen them for almost a decade. But it stills blows me away and feel like sci-fi...

[@KatharineOsborne]

Ocado never had physical supermarkets. It was built from the beginning to be automated. It was doing well before the pandemic but is doing even better now (I’m a customer and I never intend to step foot in a grocery store again. It’s really convenient, I can plan a whole week, and I’ve saved so much money because I don’t have stupid impulse purchases, or food that goes to waste).

[@jonmaybe3754]

Can we just take a moment to ealise that this place, which probably costs millions of pounds, still uses xbox kinect sensors for their 3d camera system ( 2:27 )

[@oO0Xenos0Oo]

If it works, it works 😄 And they are very cheap.

[@gbestwick]

The reality is that those sensors are amazing. They are inexpensive and very capable, which is a winner when you need to do anything at scale.

[@LittleWhole]

Microsoft: ...

[@MrSkinnyWhale]

Didn't the US military use Xbox controllers for controlling drones or something?

[@bigmoneyben08]

@@MrSkinnyWhale wait really?

[@NemesisTWarlock]

I'll take "Kinects where you don't expect them" for $400, Alex

[@Formedras]

Nowadays that's anywhere, though.

[@AlexMint]

They had one when I got a CT scan a few weeks ago.

[@EmileVictor]

There is a mini Kinect built into every iPhone with face ID. Same company, same technology

[@ingusmant]

These guys probably bought the entire lot when microsoft was throwing it away

[@ingusmant]

@@EmileVictor which company?

[@unconventionalideas5683]

I cannot decide whether this is cool, dystopian, or both. Either way, this does feel futuristic.

[@gavdev12]

Haha this is why engineers call them “systems”, it eliminates the what’s a robot debate

[@volundrfrey896]

I'm an engineer, I call them by their given names (given by me obviously). It makes work emails more.... interesting.

[@DogsRNice]

Is it one system or multiple systems?

[@maxman1244]

@@DogsRNice that's one system comprised of multiple units They are akin to wireless appendages, all controlled by one system

[@SeventhSolar]

@@DogsRNice A system is just made of smaller systems. That's why it's easier to think of, because there's no point in talking about which is what.

[@Sauvenil]

@@SeventhSolar I love this statement. All systems are made of smaller systems - even the "robots" break down into smaller systems - locomotion, lifting, sensors, wireless connectivity... and each one of those breaks down into separate systems, etc.

[@eldritchhollow7692]

"What is my purpose?" "You pass the groceries" "Oh. My. God."

[@kellydalstok8900]

“I’m really depressed.”

[@OtherSideOfMorning]

"you want some toast?"

[@monberg1000]

Good reference. But it's literally the only thing it can do. You could say: "Robot, I wish for your freedom". But it wouldn't be able to leave. And if you picked it up and placed it outside, it would not be able to move. It would just sit there, slowly dying to the harsh elements of nature. I think it's much happier to stay inside, work 24 hours a day, all year, doing the same thing, possibly forever. 😄

[@Userbot444]

@@monberg1000 My microwave is happiest indoors as well doing the same thing everyday.

[@monberg1000]

@@Userbot444 :D

[@forstnamelorstname4169]

My mind can't grasp that this is a real place, and that Tom isn't green screened over a 3D render. Are you sure this isn't a new episode of ⏩?

[@hambobrosesmith6601]

me too

[@davidhatch7603]

Agree. It totally looked cgi and greenscreened

[@minxythemerciless]

Yup. Very much CGI, I checked the date but it wasn't April 1. Plus using super expensive robotic arms to load packs of chips (slowly) is a dead giveaway

[@frostech3149]

Whoever made the “CGI” in this video must have some sort of government supercomputer to make it that flawless. There are so many small imperfections, like scratches, lens flares, etc. that this surely must be real. People are naturally crazy, they’re sure to do something like this.

[@SioGG]

@@minxythemerciless Hope this is a troll

[@ivan55599]

Fascinating thing is, that this system is already a bit "old", because it must have taken several years to design and build this thing.

[@aceman0000099]

You could easily make it more efficient in several ways, but idk how

[@mc-not_escher]

A system of that size would take about 1-2 years to fully install at the capacity pictured these days.

[@michaeldeierhoi4096]

@@aceman0000099 😂😅🤣. "You could easily make it more efficient in several ways but Idk how"!?!?

[@aceman0000099]

@@michaeldeierhoi4096 well, for example, letting the robots travel diagonally.

[@michaeldeierhoi4096]

@@aceman0000099 That may increase the complexity of the system to a point that it is no longer efficient. There is probably a good reason the designers of this system didn't go that route.

[@hurshly]

"The hivemind controls the whole building." I'm getting some portal GLADOS vibes

[@Gahanun]

"Why does our grocery store have these tanks of neurotoxin here?"

[@yousorooo]

This was a triumph

[@BennyColyn]

Except this one probably has actual cake.

[@lukenel29]

skynet.

[@dasjulian3]

Don't worry about the robots hurting you in any way. Every robot was taught to read and has been given a copy of the three laws of robotics.

[@g00dbyemisterA]

I would really love a Futurama-esque "robot-human mixup" where just one guy, probably called Darren is just frantically running across the grid, with the hive.

[@Voltaic_Fire]

Haha!

[@nabeelnitro6447]

Dayron

[@retinas2001]

Don't worry, I've also had a horrible experience with a robot grocery shop. But it's almost over now!

[@lucie4185]

DARRYL?

[@bbcandrew3141]

A shame that'll never happen

[@darkranger116]

"can i get some ben and jerrys?" IM AFRAID I CANT DO THAT, DAVE

[@thedroolfool]

The robots have officially gone too far!

[@CrippleX89]

@@thedroolfool S H U T U P , H U M A N ! D E S T R O Y

[@KentuckyFriedChildren]

Weight loss robot

[@ProjectNetoku]

Glock loading noise THE LAST ORDER OF THAT PRODUCT WAS MADE. Glock noise was the machine grabbing a different brand of the same flavor of icecream WOULD YOU PREFFER A DIFFERENT CHOICE?

[@tomspray5961]

Is that a death squared reference or am I tripping

[@fxrisxmxli]

Most secure job of the future: Building robots, maintaining robots, upgrading robts etc.

[@elongreishinaski9800]

What makes you think humans can do that better than robots?

[@choojunwyng8028]

I don't know why, but I wish this company would put up a 24/7 live camera feed of their bots just moving groceries in the warehouse, posted on youtube. That would be mesmerising to watch edit : aight I just want to clarify that when I meant a 24/7 live camera feed, I meant ONLY the bots moving around, possibly from a POV similar to the thumbnail. No one can see any products the bots are moving unless they have specific information of what is stored in each cell, in that case they wouldn't need to watch a youtube livestream if they have information that detailed.

[@HassanSelim0]

It might be considered a privacy invasion though, because with enough time someone could guess the products the customers are ordering with statistical analysis, I think.

[@lllIIIlIllIIll]

@@HassanSelim0 it won't be any different than placing a camera on a busy intersection in NY - no one will pay attention to an individual thing if there's that many of them. Or watching an ant colony, it would take a lot of pointless dedication to track and understand every movement of a single ant. Edit: spelling

[@choojunwyng8028]

@@HassanSelim0 Well, I was thinking of a CCTV live feed kinda video. Look at the baskets/containers they use in the video. Its so deep you can't even see what the robots are picking up/dumping, as its mostly covered by the robot itself anyways. They even said the carts go 20 layers deep.

[@swampymender4400]

@@HassanSelim0 how would that be bad ?

[@plzletmebefrank]

@@HassanSelim0 ... But you wouldn't have any clue who the customers are as that data isn't included with a camera feed of robots packing groceries. It wouldn't be any different from just seeing the results of a scientific study. No names are included, heck, it's more anonymous since those usually include breakdowns of age, sex, personal beliefs, and more. General government census data that's public record is more personal and private than what groceries are ordered by unknown parties at a robot packing warehouse.

[@lordofthelandsquids]

It's really cool to see a real space designed for robots. I think we see "robots" a lot in film and media that are made to look like humans and interact with an environment that could be for humans, but it's actually kind of awesome to see this space that's really counterintuitive to a person but makes perfect sense to a grocery-bot!

[@Morgsch]

This might as well be the most confusing claw crane game ever

[@chandraprakashmaurya116]

Some hacker writing this down

[@PixelguardianGame]

The claw decides who will stay and who will go!

[@martiddy]

Except this crane can pick up things every time

[@chandraprakashmaurya116]

*Laughs in GACHA*

[@_rob_.]

Best information video I've found on this topic. Short, and full of all the pertinent info. Thanks! Thumbs up.

[@albertbatfinder5240]

James Bond has to find his way across the grid while the evil villain HiveMind tries to take him out.

[@yargolocus4853]

I could actually see that being a good action scene in a bond movie.

[@rafalsadowski]

Thought the same XD great scenery for an action scene. Main character finds himself moving through the grid and getting shot at while the sidekick operates the control room.

[@limiv5272]

I'd watch that

[@aaronandmusic5689]

"Who would win"

[@Sh1nrue]

this looks like a large redstone project by sethbling

[@urbanprojectz]

Lmao

[@kirithic7080]

Mojang should sue them ngl

[@raypinparty7052]

Incredible tech.

[@thelolfaceguy]

All armor stands

[@matthorrocks6517]

I thought the same thing seeing all these squares and tracks. Its minecrafty for sure. You beat me to it :(

[@blindleader42]

"What is my purpose?" -"Pass the butter."- "Go to grid xyz."

[@greyshepherd3456]

"What is my purpose?"

[@mediabox8280]

Grid 2-B or not 2-B, that is the question...

[@npc6817]

Oh my god

[@cameron7374]

Then retrieve the butter for passing to grid xyz

[@DiogoSantos-ln1nz]

Grid xy, there isn't a z axis in this case.

[@AyyEf]

Honestly, I think these grid-running robots are adorable.

[@michaeldeierhoi4096]

Adorable until this becomes the standard model for companies like Amazon, Walmart and the workers are laid by the tens of thousands!!!

[@JustwinJBees]

"...We use 2 3d cameras.." *Shows xbox camera* I... expected something different

[@bubbledoubletrouble]

From a technological perspective, Kinects were ahead of their time. It’s a shame developers never figured out what to do with them.

[@danjal87nl]

@@bubbledoubletrouble It's not just developers (though it definitely plays a part) -- even if developers DID figure things out better you'd still have to overcome the mainstream consumer threshold. Reach a wide enough audience with an interesting and accessible enough product. The reality is that most people aren't all that interested in a fully 3D gaming experience, if only because a lot of people straight up do not have adequate free space to properly enjoy it. And if the choice is to move half your living room aside so you can enjoy a game with the 30-60 mins of free time you have to just plop on the couch and play some something straight away the latter is the more appealing option. VR has the same problem. Even as VR headsets are becoming more accessible to the mainstream audience the fact that you would need free space to play standing up means a lot of people just won't bother.

[@sixpest]

@@bubbledoubletrouble yup. just like gta4. there are alot of things that came out of 2008 that were ahead of their time.

[@plantinggamer9661]

I laughed so hard

[@Drago_Whooves]

@@danjal87nl we need Matrix style chairs ('jack' in and it projects sight onto your visual cortex, then collected neural responses as controls)

[@Syy]

The way all the robots move reminds me so much of the Sibyl System from Psycho-Pass.

[@400cabal]

Ohmygod Imagine walking in for a heist and the security's gun starts talking

[@RariqaD]

love that anime. has some my favorite characters

[@temiolu3049]

🤣🤣🤣

[@anuk1311]

Luv u

[@clarcktumazar]

Replace the grocery with brains

[@justaddbricks5527]

When I ordered from Ocado, I thought some person would go around a shop or warehouse collecting the products I ordered, not that a colony of robots moving around a track would be collecting my order.

[@quantumfluffyflapjack]

That's what usually happens when you order from other supermarkets, but ocado were starting from scratch so they didn't have to make the stores for humans. I'm sure it'll all look like this eventually.

[@TuberTugger]

Don't worry. There isn't a track

[@musicbyella3769]

Depends on the warehouse. I did a project on these robots in 2017/18 and we toured a warehouse... without the hive.

[@happysongs4kyrone]

well...

[@y_fam_goeglyd]

Fascinating though, isn't it?

[@overtale4516]

*One misplaced line of code* "What do you mean I ordered 200 packs of cigarettes!?"

[@HelloFutureMe]

This is incredible on so many levels

[@CaptainAmaziiing]

21 levels deep, in fact. They said so.

[@itsdpr7953]

@@CaptainAmaziiing Lmao

[@wayfarerzen3393]

Around 2,000 levels, I estimate.

[@joewow1229]

A surprise to see you here sir, thankyou for your reviews and analyses 👍

[@meltedsnowman9637]

This is what future unemployment looks like.

[@berniebowman1964]

I love that they are literally using an Xbox Kinect as 3D cameras for the robots.

[@mgmx2099]

Heard that camera was good for everything except gaming.

[@indigotyrian]

It's a fantastic piece of technology! It's just not great for making video games.

[@krazyfrog]

At least someone is.

[@snickerdoooodle]

I use a Kinect for VR body tracking. Some animators use them too. They're nifty as hell!

[@hanniffydinn6019]

You know an modern IPhone has a Microsoft Kinect crammed in there? 😎😎😎

[@Night6436]

Don't have to pay them sick pay, holiday or have tea breaks. We will all become KZbinrs.

[@klmnclement]

If you haven’t seen it already, you’d really enjoy CGP Grey’s video “Humans Need Not Apply”.

[@smeglips]

There are a lot of cars in that car park… maybe the robots don’t walk to work.

[@JamezOwnU101]

Maybe we don't need everyone to work if we prefect this process

[@NighteeeeeY]

@@klmnclement i actually remembered the video and thought "that quote goes a little different"

[@evo683]

that would be an interesting world, where actual work is no longer necessary so everyone just makes a living with things like art and social media. We get to live by socializing with others and expressing ourselves… not sure if that’s a utopia or a dystopia. In reality would likely just be somewhere in between as usual.

[@rustyboltz2820]

This may be good for people who can't go to the grocery store in person, but i'd rather be able to pick the best vegetables and fruits instead of having it chosen for me.

[@justanedit001]

Redstone KZbinrs: “So I did a little building off-camera”

[@sierra5065]

SciCrafters: that's just the storage to build the actual storage facility.

[@takashi.mizuiro]

ye

[@sterlingheaton]

Here's a really simple farm that'll take you 5 hours to setup (not including resource gathering)

[@spikegorman1650]

SciCraft: PATHETIC

[@Em0x]

Actually Mumbo Jumbo and the other "Architecs" built something like this back in Hermitcraft Season 6 .

[@katrianem2124]

Oh. This is why the packing from Ocado sometimes makes no sense. You’ll get one item in a bag or a bag packed without stacking stuff.

[@jadespider7526]

Very surprised to see it's even robots doing the packing, not just the picking. I saw the hive and expected it to deliver bins to humans to bag and ship and then give back to the hive.

[@timogul]

That used to be how it was done, but the system improves.

[@danielclark3557]

That is actually how most bags are packed, but it's less fun to show a human doing the packing and the robots are way cooler

[@Saturn49YT]

Notice they only showed one robot arm packer and not a whole line of them? I suspect that one is a prototype put into production for evaluation...

[@darkwowpg]

@@Saturn49YT And it was very slow.

[@johnl.7754]

@@darkwowpg but it can work 24/7 without breaks

[@Loctorak]

I can't adequately articulate how strange it is to spend 4 hours playing with a logistics network in Factorio, only to flick to KZbin and just see another sprawling mass of logistics bots.

[@tsnakem]

Too relatable Now get back to expanding the Factory!

[@Reflexzzzz]

@@tsnakem The factory must grow

[@duckles426]

@@Reflexzzzz O P T I M I S E

[@senorswordfish6019]

"What is my purpose?" "To pass the butter"

[@osku2290]

"Oh my god"

[@lhurgoyfwitcher7553]

and 20'000 other items.

[@georgegrennan6328]

Welcome to the club, pal!

[@iceala]

@@lhurgoyfwitcher7553 booooo. You didn't get the reference.

[@breed187]

Passing the butter is the most noble thing my robot does - Obese American 2021

[@quentin-v9d]

I will never cease to be amazed by the overwhelming volume of metal that was waiting to be refined out of the earth.

[@TheEpicGnome]

A reminder that the amount of metal accessible to us so far is a pittance. Iron is very dense, and thus most of it is stuck in the mantle or deeper in a semi-liquid state, *currently* unable to be exploited.

[@osiand9328]

@@TheEpicGnome not to mention the thousands of asteroids waiting to be mined

[@MasterTicTac1]

Personally I'm more comfortable with the idea of asteroid mining than extracting molten iron from the core.

[@Zraknul]

I'm more comfortable with digging in the core. Breaking free hell demons is seeming less likely than alien disease waiting for us on an asteroid these days. You know if works of fiction have taught us nothing else.

[@logankowalyk2580]

@@osiand9328 theres enough metal in the asteroid belt to cover the entire earth in a metal structure 800 stories tall

[@Questionsleftheretoanswer]

When a robot breaks down in (or near) the centre of the Grid, How do they get that particular robot out for service? Do they get a robot to push that robot towards the nearest leading edge? Or do they have a person with about same weight as those robots to get it out?

[@TomTheEnglishPicker]

It’s interesting that they use an Xbox one Kinect in the system.

[@Binxx.]

One of the best 3D motion cameras that is a reasonable price. That’s my guess anyway.

[@CheshireSwift]

Some of the best consumer/industrial computer vision software to date. Surprising number of old independent projects run on original Kinect.

[@jco_sfm]

theres a newer version of it with twice the resolution and twice the feild of view for 400 dollars, idk why they would go with that one instead

[@RoboSkyrat]

A lot of places find the Kinect to be one of the easiest and the best 3d cameras to work with. You can interact with the camera feed directly instead of some other cameras requiring 1000s of dollars in specialist software

[@joelpassanha8996]

Nice catch

[@landomt8138]

We've gone too far when the robots are using Xboxes to determine the softness of my Fritos bag.

[@zrider100z]

Not really. They just have to consider what products can be packed by which arm before they use a robot and the software that is meant to recognise the product has to be able to determine its orientation so that you can properly grab it. The robot does not have to determine stiffness or weight.

[@watwat2540]

@@zrider100z stfu

[@lobster2771]

@@watwat2540 no u

[@fredwin]

@@zrider100z I have to say though, it seems like an absolutely insane waste of resources to install this level of automation in a grocery store.

[@zrider100z]

Grocery store yes, but its a system for "assembly and pack" for stuff ordered through the net. I can see the idea of robots moving stuff from one box to another being better than forcing human employees to walk around the shop for each client. Cuts on time dramatically I suppose.

[@mikecastle9555]

I’d like to see a James Bond type chase scene dodging around that lot.

[@hlynkacg9529]

Was literally just thinking the same thing

[@christafranken9170]

Nut then they need to miss the 'huh, that's unexpected' sensors, for what I understand, these things would stop if there was something in front of them.

[@maxchu92]

Thats gonna be a huge budget just to disrupt the service for minutes. They might need to recreate a studio instead of using the real one

[@JonVonBasslake]

Modern JB seems a bit too serious for something like this, but maybe a M:I, Bourne or some other spy flick would do it. Unless they're going back towards the more classic era of Connery or even just Brosnan.

[@chronophagocytosis]

Just attach chainsaws on each of them, disable all safety features and you're all set!

[@Captaraknospider]

This will be the future of shops. You will walk in or stand out side push buttons what you want then a conveyer belt spits out your products.

[@PanadeEdu]

It must be an absolute blast, to engineer such a thing. Part of me, immediately wants to see what issues occur and if they are solvable long term. Thanks for showing, Tom

[@__cypher__]

Your naive grasp of future consequences from today's actions is a perfect example of the centuries long problem with humanity's mentality.

[@slurponaut]

@@__cypher__ what are you even on about

[@KBinturong]

Yes I want to see the algorithme !

[@MRcreeper151]

@@__cypher__ I'm confused did you read or interpret something wrong?

[@EmileVictor]

Was an engineer on these, can confirm was awesome

[@TheIronArmenianakaGIHaigs]

From the moment I realised the weakness of my flesh it disgusted me

[@taqoz19]

Hello there=)

[@sirpuffball6366]

Praise be to the Omnissiah

[@jjcc8379]

[Binaric Chanting and sacred incense intensifies]

[@jackreid2664]

Reject inferior humanity, embrace oneness within the grocery hive.

[@bryanv1681]

THE FLESH IS WEAK!!

[@OntarioTrafficMan]

Hive Bot: "What is my purpose?" Hive Mind: "You pack groceries" Hive Bot: "Oh my God."

[@Feuergraf]

Welcome to the club, pal

[@vothaison]

oh your god!

[@denifnaf5874]

Deploy the neuroroxin emmiters

[@travelnatureart]

I don’t wanna be apart of this society, just go to the grocery store

[@jackmercenary]

The hive is so unbelievable to me that my mind keeps seeing them as cgi and looking for render issues but obviously they're all real

[@catboy9066]

I thought the title was a hypothetical question/joke and it looked cgi

[@danieljensen2626]

I think Tom was green screening himself in front of them for this video though, so that didn't help.

[@ataphelicopter5734]

@@danieljensen2626 no, Tom was actually there, just in an observation box

[@JDsVarietyChannel]

I wonder if the hive sells jars of honey?

[@KatharineOsborne]

They do indeed.

[@ingmarvanolffen]

Robot cant pick up fragile

[@tylerkennedy2811]

@@ingmarvanolffen idk about the uk but in the us you can get a lot of honey in plastic rigid bottles that aren’t really fragile at all

[@prakharmishra3000]

Lmfao good joke

[@locomotivefaox]

They actually make a rating system for their performance carrying jars like honey and tested them! All Bs.

[@lavenderfox2430]

"We've got a 3D camera hooked up" > Is literally just a Kinect v2. Can't blame them since it's really good, but Kinect Azure exists which is smaller and better.

[@gummybait1277]

Is that not a 3d camera

[@ShirokiMaki]

Well, a Toyota is still a car.

[@DanielFoerster]

Looks like the Ocado facility was built prior to the Azure Kinect existing.

[@aaddiis45021]

Can you give me a time stamp

[@TekkamanBlade]

@@aaddiis45021 2:25

[@mc-not_escher]

Working for a company here in the US that makes these things. I do tech support for the software that runs them. Fascinating stuff.

[@DanAI17]

"We are the Borg. Resistance is futile. Your biological and technological advancements will be delivered to your door."

[@ctrlaltrepeat245]

“We also advise you check out Borg Prime, with free streaming service and Borg approved movies at a low and affordable cost.”

[@Clickathon]

Need to take out the queen before it's too late

[@killerrosebudiscool]

alright that got me

[@traceletz6786]

"Please shop with us again, or don't. At your own expense."

[@NurmYokai]

At some point someone will create that company and ... "BORG Inc" "BorgWarner" "Borg & Borg Insurance" "Borg Design Inc" "BORG" "Borg And Borg Inc" "Borg Indak" "Borg Trucking" "Borg Energy" "BORG Equipment & Supply" "Borg Mechanical Contractors" ... never mind.

[@cikame]

Shoutouts to the Xbox camera holding this whole operation together.

[@oort622]

They're great for 3D imaging because they were designed for it, that's why they're used in many projects which require depth perception

[@Lord_Raymund]

XD lmfao when i saw that hahahhhaha

[@MindFlayeR57]

Glad I'm not the only one that noticed it

[@aaroncoddington884]

Timestamp? I primarily listen not watch but I'd love to see this.

[@rowdyh3518]

@@aaroncoddington884 2:25!

[@jackthomas4372]

everyone is talking about how they call it the hive but what i care about is at 2:26 there is a Xbox Kinect.

[@Aiden-fk6xj]

thats what im sayin

[@ebridgewater]

Well spotted!

[@crazyt1483]

No point making something if it is easier and probably cheaper to pick it up from your local supermarket.

[@sinphy]

@@crazyt1483 irony

[@benoxiid]

Actually you can make a lot of fun projects with a Kinect :D

[@synthesizerisking2886]

The Robots are taking over!!!! In the warehouse stocking deliveries, taking inventora, cleaning floors, everything!!!!😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫🤖🤖🤖

[@zidanez21]

This Robotic Team was having a laugh when coming up with the names weren't they

[@DyslexicMitochondria]

haha ikr

[@epicstuff7522]

@@DyslexicMitochondria HIii Mate big fan of your vidzzzz

[@koolaid33]

Dr. Robotnik is evolving

[@jackreid2664]

They were and I'm more than here for it

[@justkidding8407]

1991: The robots will take over the world 2021: Robot Grocery Store

[@Morningstar_37]

I mean, it's literally called "Hive Mind", sooooo...

[@pyglik2296]

They are one step closer...

[@6yjjk]

They stop, we starve, they win.

[@tabouretarepasser730]

@@rho9904 I ,for one ,would starve if had to buy food myself

[@julianshepherd2038]

2031 Humans beg robot masters for snacks

[@masondickerson9466]

Everybody's talking about how terrifying this is but... they're all on a track. Like, this isn't gonna be the robot army overthrowing humanity. It's just a device that follows a series of commands.

[@timothymclean]

"The warehouse hivemind has declared war on humanity!" "Okay. Should we cut off the power or just let 'em stew for a couple days?" "I'd suggest shutting down the power. It's been tweeting for the past hour, letting it continue could be bad PR."

[@Codraroll]

Like medieval scribes watching a printing press at work.

[@hammo6641]

No that nightmare stems from a company called Boston dynamics

[@mdp125]

People are morons. This isn't anything near what would be required to "take over" the world. This is a glorified assembly line for grocery baskets

[@57thorns]

@@timothymclean I mean, enough angry tweets and it might become president, or perhaps in this case prime minister.

[@pkcrossing89]

I was really hoping the video would end with the guy saying “just kidding. It’s all CGI. you’ve been bamboozled.”

[@kiwigaming09]

I don't think Tom would ever do that

[@jonathanbartley3727]

2:28 Everybody laughed at the Xbox Kinect now its out for your job

[@donnacharyan8679]

When I saw the Xbox Kinect I just thaught wow, it actually has a use now. (Comming from a PlayStation fanboy)

[@vaulstein]

Love this line: Instead of building machines that fit a design built for humans, this facility was custom built to make this process as efficient as possible.

[@teatowel11]

But they are still packing products that are packaged for humans into those dumb plastic bags. Soon companies will realise that the digital image on the website is more important than the packaging and the distributor will pack directly into a box for delivery.

[@cosmicseal7977]

"The Hive Mind" sounds terrifying, but in reality It's just a bunch of boxes picking up other boxes to be delivered to people.

[@Mark-zg4ky]

For now…

[@nore5888]

@@Mark-zg4ky OH NO, WHAT NEXT? ARE THEY GONNA PICK UP BIGGER BOXES?

[@j.g.9045]

@@nore5888 "There's always a bigger box." -Gui-Qon Jinn

[@ralexcraft990]

In boxes

[@Mark-zg4ky]

@@nore5888 Lmao

[@Christopher_T_Paul]

I have shopping delivered by Ocado regularly and it is never wrong, never a substitution or an item out of stock all thanks to technology and planning.

[@Cay_k]

The fact that they are using an Xbox one Kinect as the 3d cameras is just gold

[@johnrehwinkel7241]

That's a Primesense Kinect. Xbox was just one of the uses for it.

[@didnt_ask_for_handle]

It's cheap, decently accurate, a perfect choice for the job

[@SimoSensaiUK]

“Xbox, turn off the hive”

[@Alex-gd9li]

Xbox gold?

[@willparkinson]

@@johnrehwinkel7241 it literally says Xbox on it

[@MrMysteryman00]

Tom. Blink twice if you’re being held hostage by the bots.

[@msarchive6247]

🤣🤣🤣

[@scoriadesert426]

0:08

[@minecrafting_il]

@@scoriadesert426 OH NO OH GOD NOOOOO

[@jasons2562]

This is insanely amazing, wow I had no idea

[@ZeldaOdelta]

I always think it's fascinating to see gaming hardware in non-gaming contexts. That "3D camera" ( 2:25 ) is an Xbox Kinect, and it's always fascinating when tech designed for gaming ends up being the most cost effective or sensible thing to use for other applications. It's like seeing drones or other remote controlled robots using what is effectively a game controller to operate

[@jk3jk35]

mass production/availability of spare parts, and ease of development probably play a role.

[@brianlopez8855]

Wait until you see the same cam looking at you above the gunsights on a drone.

[@1from31]

fr. We used to use a lot of rando things at our tv station

[@sercosmo]

playstation controllers being used in the military, haha

[@McNibbler]

I used to work at a surgical robotics company and most of our prototype controllers were literally just modified xbox 360 controllers

[@jokejfjwkr]

*”Actually, The redstone is quite simple”* ~~~ Mumbo Jumbo

[@pascall0]

*proceeds to show redsone the size of **0:02*

[@leetri]

He's putting his two braincells to good use :P

[@xanboyyy]

"I'm chuffed to bits"

[@khursheedsiddiqui6349]

Mumbo for mayor

[@SeanHodgins]

So cool. Put these underground, under greenspace, and call it the hive!

[@denifnaf5874]

Portal

[@hawhafunnyraffs5568]

BUGS. MOISTURE. MOLD. SHIFTING FOUNDATIONS. Do you have any idea why a grocery distribution like this can't be subterranean by even a few hundred feet?

[@wspann1967]

^get a load of this guy

[@bosh__]

@@denifnaf5874 Insect repellents. Dehumidifiers. Mold cleaning. Strengthened foundations. It's definitely possible.

[@CasMullac]

@@hawhafunnyraffs5568 Sure! If you just stick the lot in a hole in the ground without tanking and atmospheric controls.

[@Hobbs-the-tiger97]

I have a business plan for this exact type of thing from when I was a highschooler 😂 it’s awesome someone pulled it off!!

[@4077Disc]

2:27 glad they found a use for all those Kinects that were binned back in 2015

[@Argomundo]

Super secret product placement

[@F1ghteR41]

Astute observation!

[@solracer66]

I'd be really interested to learn how they deal with refrigerated and frozen items so they don't defrost. Also how vegetables are dealt with as they can can often be ordered individually. I think there may be something here though, since the pandemic started I've been ordering exclusively for pickup at my local grocers and I have wondered just how much more efficient the store would be if it was pickup only.

[@chris195868]

Since robots can work in the cold, you can build a separate grid in a chilled or frozen room, which is then picked in a normal temperature room by a human, and returned.

[@wohdinhel]

I would assume the entire facility is temperature controlled. And since all of the cells are built *below* the bots, you could easily cordon off a section to serve as a “freezer”. The bots probably also are able to weigh products, but I would assume the produce in this sort of system either is pre-packaged or individually marked.

[@ataphelicopter5734]

I’d assume the whole place is kept at around 3-5°C except for the bits the humans stay in, and they can have a separate group of boxes at -15° for the frozen goods

[@Vynncent]

Another thing to add-on is that you can refrigerate certain cells, since chest refrigerators and freezers are insanely efficient and can run without a cover on them

[@d4b]

@@Vynncent I work with a robot (AccuVax) that keeps a door between different temperature zones, and the door quickly moves out of the way when the robot needs to move between zones.

[@Matt-wc2mf]

We call this "The hive mind"... Robotics engineers are just messing with us at this point...

[@unholykill333u9]

"They'll tell you it's science but it's not billy understood"👿

[@Jeremy_the_unfallible_n-a]

you shouId do a video on how many robots it takes to put an entire country's work force out of a job

[@opfibres]

Hi! Ex temp for Ocado customer service here, considering how many orders we would get daily, these rolling bots would rarely ever make a mistake. Incredible technology.

[@N1ko0L]

Since you used Kinect for 3d cams, did you have xbox ones in the staff rooms? 👀

[@MarcosElMalo2]

I’ll avoid the metaphysics. That’s 2000 robot workers and 1 robot boss. The question is, will they ever unionize?

[@heroslippy6666]

They want higher quality wheels that get replaced regularly. They could greatly benefit from a union.

[@boldCactuslad]

i hope they don't un-ionize. that would be messy.

[@WaitingIdly]

How do you know this isn't 2000 robot workers and their union?

[@Dwightstjohn-fo8ki]

How does the economics of this long term compared to using people stack up money wise?? Or is it all about control? And who IS "Ocado"?? And WHO owns it? ok, I see the order pickers. How do you LOAD the bins of items and HOW do you keep your Supply Chain providers from screwing up your ordering??

[@Blue-Maned_Hawk]

Roboss