Release
Jan 1, 2022
Price
Price TBA
Connectivity
2
Status
Active
Height
320cm
Weight
1300kg
Battery
Up to 16 hours (two full shifts)
Speed
10.8 km/h
Stretch
Boston Dynamics' purpose-built warehouse robot designed for autonomous case handling — including truck/container unloading and case picking. Stretch can move up to 800 boxes per hour from trucks and containers onto conveyor belts, working up to two full shifts (16 hours) on a single battery charge. Descended from the Handle research robot, Stretch was introduced in 2021 as Boston Dynamics' first warehouse-specific product. Stretch is commercially sold to qualified warehouse operators via enterprise sales (contact form/BD sales process), not through normal consumer retail checkout. It requires no pre-programming of SKU numbers or box sizes — its vision system detects and handles a wide range of package types autonomously, including recovering fallen packages. Deployed at hundreds of customers worldwide, including DHL (1,000+ unit MOU signed May 2025), Lidl (22 robots rolling out 2026 across Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Spain), NFI, Gap, Arvato, Otto Group, and Maersk. Can be installed and operational within existing warehouse infrastructure in five days or less.
Listed price
Price TBA
Enterprise pricing (contact sales)
Release window
Jan 1, 2022
Current status
Active
Boston Dynamics
Last verified
Feb 24, 2026
Technical overview
Core specifications and system stack
A fast read on the mechanical profile, sensing package, and platform integrations behind Stretch.
Technical Specifications
Height
320cm
Weight
1300kg
Battery Life
Up to 16 hours (two full shifts)
Charging Time
Shore power available for continuous operation
Max Speed
10.8 km/h
Tech Components
Sensors (3)
Operational profile
How this robot is configured
Capabilities
10
Connectivity
2
Key capabilities
Ecosystem fit
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Benchmark set
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About the Stretch
The Stretch is a Commercial robot built by Boston Dynamics. Boston Dynamics' purpose-built warehouse robot designed for autonomous case handling — including truck/container unloading and case picking. Stretch can move up to 800 boxes per hour from trucks and containers onto conveyor belts, working up to two full shifts (16 hours) on a single battery charge. Descended from the Handle research robot, Stretch was introduced in 2021 as Boston Dynamics' first warehouse-specific product. Stretch is commercially sold to qualified warehouse operators via enterprise sales (contact form/BD sales process), not through normal consumer retail checkout. It requires no pre-programming of SKU numbers or box sizes — its vision system detects and handles a wide range of package types autonomously, including recovering fallen packages. Deployed at hundreds of customers worldwide, including DHL (1,000+ unit MOU signed May 2025), Lidl (22 robots rolling out 2026 across Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Spain), NFI, Gap, Arvato, Otto Group, and Maersk. Can be installed and operational within existing warehouse infrastructure in five days or less.
Pricing has not been publicly disclosed. See all Boston Dynamics robots on the Boston Dynamics page.
Spec Breakdown
Detailed specifications for the Stretch
Height
320cmAt 320cm, the Stretch is sized for its intended operating environment and use cases.
Weight
1300kgWeighing 1300kg, the Stretch balances structural integrity with portability and maneuverability.
Battery Life
Up to 16 hours (two full shifts)With a battery life of Up to 16 hours (two full shifts), the Stretch can operate for sustained periods before requiring a recharge. Battery life is measured under typical operating conditions and may vary based on workload intensity and environmental factors.
Charging Time
Shore power available for continuous operationA charging time of Shore power available for continuous operation means the ratio of operation to downtime is an important consideration for applications requiring near-continuous availability. Some deployments use multiple robots in rotation to maintain uninterrupted service.
Maximum Speed
10.8 km/hA top speed of 10.8 km/h is calibrated for the robot's primary operating environment and safety requirements.
The Stretch uses Boston Dynamics vision and planning system (real-time decision making) as its intelligence backbone. This AI platform powers the robot's decision-making, perception processing, and autonomous behavior. The sophistication of the AI stack directly impacts how well the robot handles unexpected situations and adapts to new environments.
Stretch Sensor Suite
The Stretch integrates 3 sensor types, forming the perceptual foundation that enables autonomous operation.
This sensor configuration enables the Stretch to perceive its environment and operate autonomously in its intended use cases. Multiple sensor modalities provide redundancy and more robust perception than any single sensor type alone.
Explore sensor technologies: components glossary · full components directory
Stretch Use Cases & Applications
Commercial robots handle tasks in business environments — delivering food in restaurants, guiding visitors in hotels, transporting supplies in hospitals, and moving inventory in warehouses. Their value is measured in operational efficiency, labor cost savings, and improved service consistency.
Capabilities That Enable Real-World Use
The Stretch offers 10 distinct capabilities, each contributing to the robot's practical utility.
These capabilities work together with the robot's 3 onboard sensor types and Boston Dynamics vision and planning system (real-time decision making) AI platform to deliver practical, real-world performance.
Ecosystem Integration
The Stretch integrates with the following platforms and ecosystems, extending its utility beyond standalone operation.
This ecosystem compatibility enables the Stretch to work as part of a broader automation setup rather than operating in isolation.
Stretch Capabilities
10
Capabilities
3
Sensor Types
AI
Boston Dynamics vision and p…
Connectivity & Integration
How the Stretch communicates with your network, smart home devices, cloud services, and companion apps.
Network & Communication Protocols
Stretch Technology Stack Overview
The Stretch by Boston Dynamics integrates 6 distinct technology components across sensing, connectivity, intelligence, and interaction layers. The physical platform features a height of 320cm, a weight of 1300kg, a top speed of 10.8 km/h, providing the foundation on which this technology stack operates.
Perception — 3 Sensor Types
The perception layer is built on Computer Vision Cameras, Time-of-Flight Sensors, LiDAR. These work in concert to give the robot a detailed understanding of its operating environment. This multi-sensor approach provides redundancy and enables the robot to function reliably even when individual sensors encounter challenging conditions such as low light, reflective surfaces, or cluttered spaces.
Connectivity — 2 Protocols
Intelligence — Boston Dynamics vision and planning system (real-time decision making)
Boston Dynamics vision and planning system (real-time decision making) serves as the computational brain, processing sensor data, making navigation decisions, and orchestrating the robot's autonomous behaviors. The quality of this AI platform directly influences how well the robot handles novel situations, adapts to changes in its environment, and improves its performance over time through learning.
Who Should Consider the Stretch?
Target Audience
Commercial robots are acquired by businesses including restaurants, hotels, hospitals, retail stores, and logistics facilities. Purchasing decisions typically involve operations managers and IT departments evaluating ROI against human labor costs.
Key Considerations
Reliability and uptime, navigation in crowded dynamic environments, payload capacity, integration with business systems (POS, inventory management), ease of deployment and maintenance, and total cost of ownership (including service contracts) are the primary factors.
Pricing
Availability
ActiveThe Stretch has a status of Active. Check with Boston Dynamics for the latest availability details.
Stretch: Strengths & Trade-offs
Engineering compromises and where this commercial robot excels
What the Stretch does well
Broad capability set
With 10 distinct capabilities, the Stretch is designed as a versatile platform rather than a single-task device. This breadth means the robot can handle varied scenarios and workflows, reducing the need for multiple specialized robots and increasing its utility across different situations.
Extended battery life
A battery life of Up to 16 hours (two full shifts) provides substantial operational runway. For commercial applications, this means longer work sessions between charges, fewer interruptions, and the ability to complete larger tasks or cover more area in a single charge cycle.
Strong mobility performance
A top speed of 10.8 km/h provides the Stretch with the agility to cover ground efficiently. This is particularly valuable for applications that require rapid response, large-area coverage, or keeping pace with human movement in shared environments.
What to consider carefully
Significant weight
At 1300kg, the Stretch is a substantial piece of equipment. This weight contributes to stability and robustness but also means the robot requires careful consideration of floor load limits, transportation logistics, and the potential impact force in the event of unexpected contact with people or objects.
Undisclosed pricing
Boston Dynamics has not published a public price for the Stretch. While common for enterprise-class robotics, the absence of transparent pricing can complicate budgeting and comparison shopping. Prospective buyers will need to engage directly with the manufacturer for quotes, which may vary by configuration and volume.
Note: This strengths and trade-offs assessment is based on the Stretch's documented specifications as tracked in the ui44 database. Real-world performance depends on deployment conditions, firmware maturity, and environmental factors. For the most current information, check the Boston Dynamics manufacturer page or visit the official product page. Use the comparison tool to evaluate these trade-offs against competing robots in the same category.
How Commercial Robot Technology Works
Understanding the engineering behind this category
Commercial robots operate in the demanding intersection of technology and business operations. From restaurant servers to warehouse movers, these robots must perform reliably in dynamic, crowded environments while delivering measurable return on investment. The technology behind commercial robots emphasizes reliability, integration with business systems, and graceful handling of the unpredictable situations that characterize human-occupied commercial spaces.
Navigation & Mobility
Commercial robots navigate environments that are significantly more challenging than typical homes — crowded restaurant floors, busy hotel lobbies, and dense warehouse aisles all present unique navigation challenges. These robots typically use LiDAR combined with depth cameras for robust obstacle detection, with special attention to detecting low-height obstacles (children, pets, dropped items) and moving obstacles (people walking unpredictably). Commercial-grade navigation includes fleet coordination — multiple robots sharing maps and position data to avoid congestion and optimize collective efficiency. Elevator integration allows robots to serve multiple floors autonomously.
The Role of AI
AI in commercial robots focuses on operational efficiency and customer interaction. Route optimization minimizes delivery times in restaurants. Task prioritization ensures urgent orders are handled first. Customer-facing AI must handle natural language interaction in noisy environments, provide useful information, and maintain a professional and brand-appropriate demeanor. Back-end AI integrates with business systems — restaurant POS (Point of Sale), hotel PMS (Property Management System), warehouse WMS (Warehouse Management System) — to receive tasks and report completions automatically. Predictive AI anticipates demand patterns, pre-positioning robots where they will be needed based on historical data.
Sensor Fusion & Perception
Commercial robots combine navigation sensors (LiDAR, cameras, ultrasonic) with application-specific sensors. Restaurant delivery robots use weight sensors to confirm payload presence and tilt sensors to maintain tray stability. Warehouse robots use barcode or RFID readers for inventory tracking. Hotel robots may include temperature sensors for room-service food. All commercial robots share the need for robust human detection — they must navigate safely around unpredictable human movement while maintaining efficient operation. Edge-case handling is critical: a restaurant robot must correctly respond to a child running into its path, a guest stepping backward without looking, or a server carrying a full tray through a narrow aisle.
Power & Battery Management
Commercial operations demand high uptime, making power management a business-critical concern. Robots serving during peak hours cannot afford lengthy charging breaks. Solutions include fast-charging docks positioned at strategic locations, hot-swappable battery packs for zero-downtime operation, and intelligent charging schedules that top up during naturally low-demand periods. Fleet management systems monitor battery levels across all robots and redistribute tasks to ensure no single robot runs critically low during service. Power consumption monitoring also feeds into TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) calculations that businesses use to evaluate robot deployment ROI.
Safety by Design
Commercial robots operate in regulated business environments with specific safety requirements. Food-handling robots must meet hygiene standards. Robots in public spaces must comply with accessibility requirements, avoiding blocking wheelchair paths or emergency exits. Speed limits are typically set below walking pace in pedestrian areas. Visual and audio signals indicate the robot's presence and intent — lights, gentle sounds, or voice announcements warn nearby people. Payload security ensures items being transported cannot fall. In warehouse environments, safety zones around humans trigger automatic speed reduction or stopping. Integration with building fire alarm and evacuation systems ensures robots do not obstruct emergency procedures.
What's Next for Commercial Robots
Commercial robotics is moving toward greater specialization and deeper business system integration. Rather than general-purpose commercial platforms, expect more robots designed specifically for restaurant table service, hotel room delivery, warehouse aisle picking, or retail shelf scanning. Fleet orchestration — coordinating dozens of robots across a large facility — will become more sophisticated. The business model is also evolving, with Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) subscriptions replacing upfront purchases, lowering the barrier to adoption for small and medium businesses.
The Stretch by Boston Dynamics incorporates many of these technology pillars. For a detailed look at the specific sensors and components used in the Stretch, see the sensor analysis and connectivity sections above, or browse the complete components glossary for explanations of every technology used across the robotics industry.
Stretch in the Commercial Market
How this robot compares in the commercial landscape
Boston Dynamics has not publicly disclosed pricing for the Stretch, which is typical for enterprise-focused robotics platforms that offer customized solutions and direct-sales relationships.
The Stretch's 3 sensor types provide solid perceptual coverage for its intended use cases. This mid-range sensor suite balances cost with capability, covering the essential modalities needed for commercial applications.
Being currently available for purchase gives the Stretch a practical advantage over competitors still in development or prototype stages. Buyers can evaluate the actual product rather than relying on spec-sheet promises that may change before release.
Head-to-Head Comparisons
Side-by-side specs, capability overlap analysis, and key differentiators.
For the full picture of Boston Dynamics's portfolio and market strategy, visit the Boston Dynamics manufacturer page.
Owning the Stretch: Setup, Maintenance & Tips
Practical guide from day one through years of ownership
Initial Setup
Commercial robot deployment is a project, not just a setup. Begin with a site assessment covering floor plans, traffic patterns, integration requirements, and staff training needs. Map the operating environment with the robot, marking restricted areas, service points, and charging stations. Integrate with business systems — POS for restaurants, PMS for hotels, WMS for warehouses. Train staff on robot interaction, troubleshooting, and emergency procedures. Run a supervised pilot period before transitioning to full autonomous operation. Gather and address staff and customer feedback during the pilot to optimize the deployment before scaling.
Ongoing Maintenance
Commercial robots earn their keep through consistent operation, making maintenance an operational priority rather than an afterthought. Establish daily visual inspection routines for operations staff. Schedule weekly maintenance windows for thorough cleaning, sensor calibration, and software updates. Track key performance indicators — delivery times, task completion rates, customer feedback — to detect performance degradation before it becomes noticeable. For food-handling robots, follow strict hygiene protocols including regular sanitization of tray surfaces and contact points. Multi-robot deployments benefit from staggered maintenance schedules to maintain coverage.
Software Updates & Long-Term Support
Commercial robot updates can add new capabilities, improve navigation in your specific environment, and fix operational edge cases. The manufacturer may release updates based on fleet-wide learning — improvements discovered at one deployment benefiting all customers. Test significant updates during low-traffic periods before deploying to your full fleet. Keep communication channels open with your robot vendor's support team to provide feedback that can drive improvement in future updates.
Maximizing Longevity
Commercial robots in daily operation can last three to five years or more with proper care. The primary wear items are wheels, motors, and batteries. Maintain a spare parts inventory for consumables to minimize downtime. Track operating hours and correlate with maintenance needs to develop predictive maintenance schedules specific to your deployment conditions. Consider the total cost of ownership over the deployment lifetime when evaluating robot vendors — the cheapest robot up front may cost more over five years if parts are expensive or support is limited.
For Boston Dynamics-specific support resources and documentation, visit the Boston Dynamics page on ui44 or check the manufacturer's official website at Boston Dynamics's product page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Stretch?
How much does the Stretch cost?
Is the Stretch available to buy?
What sensors does the Stretch have?
How long does the Stretch battery last?
What AI does the Stretch use?
How does the Stretch compare to the Spot?
Does the Stretch work with smart home systems?
How current is the Stretch data on ui44?
Data Integrity
All Stretch data on ui44 is verified against official Boston Dynamics sources, including spec sheets, product pages, and press releases. Last verified: 2026-02-24. Official source: Boston Dynamics product page. If you find outdated or incorrect information, please let us know — accuracy is our top priority.
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