AUTOMATION AND ROBOTICS
for a wide range of tasks ,” said Marina Bill , President of the International Federation of Robotics . “ These advances continue to shape the merging industrial and service robotics sectors and the future of work .”
It highlighted the five top robot trends that it has identified this year and explained below how these trends will play across markets .
1 : Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) and machine learning The trend of using Artificial Intelligence in robotics and automation keeps growing . The emergence of generative AI unlocks new solutions . This subset of AI is specialised to create something new from things that it has learned via training and has been popularised by tools such as ChatGPT . Robot manufacturers are developing generative AIdriven interfaces which allow users to program robots more intuitively by using natural language instead of code . Workers will no longer need specialised programming skills to select and adjust the robot ’ s actions .
Another example is predictive AI analysing robot performance data to identify the future state of equipment . Predictive maintenance can save manufacturers machine downtime costs . Machine learning algorithms can also analyse data from multiple robots performing the same process for optimisation . In general , the more data a machine learning algorithm is given , the better it performs .
2 : Cobots are expanding to new applications Human-robot collaboration continues to be a major trend in robotics . Rapid advances in sensors , vision technologies and smart grippers allow robots to respond in real-time to changes in their environment and work safely alongside human workers . Collaborative robot applications offer a new tool for human
Image : Shutterstock . com .
The new global average robot density hit an all-time high ( chart from International Federation of Robotics ).
Marina Bill , President of the International Federation of Robotics .
workers , relieving and supporting them . They can assist with tasks that require heavy lifting and repetitive motions or work in dangerous environments . The range of collaborative applications offered by robot manufacturers continues to expand .
A recent market development is the increase of cobot welding applications , driven by a shortage of skilled welders . Mobile manipulators , the combination of collaborative robot arms and mobile robots ( AMRs ) offer new use cases that could expand the demand for collaborative robots substantially .
3 : Mobile manipulators Mobile manipulators , or “ MoMas ”, are automating material handling tasks in industries such as automotive , logistics and aerospace . They combine the mobility of robotic platforms with the dexterity of manipulator arms . This enables them to navigate complex environments and manipulate objects , which is crucial for applications in manufacturing . Equipped with sensors and cameras , these robots perform inspections and carry out maintenance tasks on machinery and equipment . One of the significant advantages of mobile manipulators is their ability to collaborate and support human workers . The shortage of skilled labour and lack of staff applying for factory jobs is likely to increase demand .
4 : Digital twins Digital twin technology is increasingly used as a tool to optimise the performance of a physical system by creating a virtual replica . Since robots are more and more digitally integrated in factories , digital twins can use their real-world operational data to run simulations and predict likely outcomes . Because the twin exists purely as a computer model , it can be stress-tested and modified with no safety implications while saving costs . All experimentation can be checked before the physical world itself is touched . Digital twins bridge the gap between digital and physical worlds .
5 : Humanoid robots Robotics is witnessing significant advances in humanoids , designed to perform a wide range of tasks in various environments . The human-like design with two arms and two legs allows the robot to be used flexibly in work environments that were created for humans . It can therefore be easily integrated ( e . g . into existing warehouse processes and infrastructure ).
The potential impact of humanoids on various sectors makes them an exciting area of development , but their mass market adoption remains a complex challenge . Costs are a key factor and success will depend on their return on investment competing with well-established robot solutions such as mobile manipulators .
The global robotics race
Driven by the high volume of industrial robot installations , the world hit a new record of 3.9 million operational robots in 2022 . The most automated countries ( measured by robot density ) are : The Republic of Korea ( 1,012 robots per 10,000 employees ), Singapore ( 730 units ) and Germany ( 415 units ). This is according to the World Robotics 2023 report , presented by the International Federation of Robotics ( IFR ).
20 | ismr . net | ISMR May 2024