Black-I Robotics Wins Global Robotics Innovation Challenge
Chewy, Inc. identifies best robotics solution to warehousing's toughest issue
'With AI-powered vision, our system can safely identify and pick large, soft bags from pallets and place them into shipping boxes—automating a task that requires high labor costs.'— Brian Hart, CEO, Black-I Robotics
TYNGSBOROUGH, MA, UNITED STATES, June 23, 2025 / EINPresswire.com / -- Black-I Robotics, headquartered in Tyngsborough, has won the prestigious Chewy Challenge, an international competition to identify the most advanced robotic solution for one of the warehouse industry's most stubborn challenges: autonomously handling soft, heavy loads—typically 40 pounds or more—inside fast-moving, high-volume distribution centers. The Chewy Challenge was sponsored by Chewy, Inc., the online marketer of pet-related products, including pet food and kitty litter, and MassRobotics, the largest independent robotics hub dedicated to accelerating innovation and adoption in the field of robotics. The prize was $30,000.
'Chewy's packaged products come in variable shapes and sizes, with different surface textures and levels of deformability, presenting a multi-layered manipulation challenge,' according to Brian Hart, CEO of Black-I Robotics. 'The packages' irregular geometry and low structural stiffness reduce the effectiveness of conventional suction or parallel-jaw gripping techniques, while inconsistent stacking and presentation on pallets further complicate object recognition and grasp planning. The challenge is multiplied when building mixed case pallets, which is often required. This was a deeply technical challenge.'
Twelve elite teams from across the globe were chosen to compete. Over several months, they worked side-by-side with Chewy's robotics team, gaining hands-on insight into the company's fulfillment challenges, workflows, and performance standards.
To support development, the Chewy team provided contestants with photos and videos of fulfillment operations, access to the Chewy robotics lab, and a comprehensive NVIDIA Omniverse simulation package, including a digital twin of the warehouse and 3D assets for a subset of Chewy's product line. The challenge aimed to enable teams to validate their solutions, whether as simulation-based prototypes or as physical systems ready to interact with the real world.
'Our experience building heavy-lift mobile robotic arms for government and private clients laid the foundation for Black-I's solution,' Hart says. 'By combining our proprietary mobile arm with AI-empowered intelligence and utilizing an autonomous mobile robot chassis, we present a practical solution that delivers value today—without requiring major changes to a facility's physical infrastructure. With AI-powered vision, our system can safely identify and pick large, soft bags from pallets and place them into shipping boxes—automating a task that all too often leads to frustration, injury and inefficiency. We're honored to be recognized as the best solution to this complex challenge. Chewy's continuous feedback was invaluable, and we thank MassRobotics for their support.'
'We're delighted that one of MassRobotics' own, Black-I Robotics, won this very competitive contest,' says Tom Ryden, executive director of MassRobotics. 'We've actively supported Black-I's efforts for many years, and have been impressed at how the company has worked so successfully to develop a robot solution for the logistics industry that is truly revolutionary. Congrats to the Black-I team!'
For further information, contact CEO Brian Hart at 978-703-1236 or [email protected]. Visit us at www.blackirobotics.com.
Brian Hart
Black-I Robotics
[email protected]
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