Cobots – The Better Half for Humans
Published on : Tuesday 12-04-2022
Cobots are equipped with specific components to ensure they can share the same work area with operators, says Soundharyaa Nandakumar.
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Robotics, a very fascinating topic, and one of the key technologies used in the process of smart automation and manufacturing. Being one of the booming technologies, equipped with modern safety features, man-made machines are making their way into factories in massive numbers. Robots bridge the gap between the machine and the human world, as they work as a better human alternative. Considering the competitive factors of robots, they are significantly marking their place in the industrial manufacturing process.
If we look deep into the history of where it all started, around 1495, the celebrated multi-talented genius Leonardo da Vinci had designed a humanoid automaton, which could be operated with the help of a series of cables and pulleys. While it is not known whether da Vinci had actually built one, a later model made from his design was found to be working. Much later, in 1921, it was Karel Capek, a Czech playwright who coined the term Robot in his play R.U.R, which began in a factory where they made artificial people built of wire and metal. In 1939, a 19-year-old author named Isaac Asimov started writing science fiction about humanoid robots, which triggered some of the popular ideas about robots.
Today, the massive gap that once existed between the human and robot worlds is falling apart, as many new generation workflow models are bringing the two worlds together, for example, if you consider the modern automobile, it is mostly built with the help of industrial robots. The cookies we eat are made and packed by robot assembly lines. From the manufacturing of pagers, cell phones, to space exploration, robots are a part of everyday fabric of life.
Though there are many types of robots based on their movements and applications, this article in general is about two broad types of robots:
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1. Industrial Robots, and
2. Collaborative Robot (Cobots).
In order to understand the Cobot – the hero of this article – we need to first understand what an industrial robot is. It is a man-made machine used for manufacturing, which is automated, programmable, and capable of movement on three or more axes. Industrial robots are typically used in applications such as welding, painting, assembly, disassembly, pick and place, packaging, labelling, palletising – in general, used in assisting or handling work where the task is difficult or cumbersome for human labour. According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) till 2020, approximately 2.7 million industrial robots were in operation successfully worldwide.
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Joseph Engelberger, widely considered the Father of Robotics, was the first person to design and sell an industrial robot to General Motor Corporation in the 1950s. I would say he was able to almost foresee how robotics is going to evolve in future. He also eventually sold his company, Unimation, and became the pathfinder of robotics. It is true that his lectures and study are still in use even today like
i. Good Physical calculation
ii. Right sensory perception
iii. Structured living environment
iv. Knowledge of the environment and duties, and
v. Good cost and benefit standards.
Most industrial robots would cost far more than human labour even today, and hence would not be economical for use unless done on scale. Though Engelberger did create some of the successful business models for a cost-effective system, many industries are employing human labour to do service tasks compared to a robotic alternative. Besides the high initial investment, the robotics industry will flourish only if there is skilled labour to train the robot to do certain tasks at a reasonable price. There is no logic in investing a huge amount in buying an efficient industrial robot without the support system because most industrial robots are operated in an isolated environment and do not have the capability to self-learn.
It is estimated that throughout the year, more than 10,000 visitors from all over the world turn to online sources for information on robotics, to help them understand about the industry and the ongoing transformation of traditional manufacturing into Industry 4.0. This requires constant evolution as well as increase in adoption of industrial technological trends like Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Cyber Physical Systems, Big Data Analytics, Automation, etc.
Technological trends – Industrial Robots
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1. Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) – Increased access: For example, Smart sensors, actuators will be increasingly deployed by these robots at the edge of production to collect data that was earlier accessible to manufacturers, currently this trend is ongoing and will lead to new levels of productivity and efficiency.
2. Big Data Analysis – Support system: On the Factory level, robots are programmed with all material information, although data collection is just one piece of the process. In order to gather and organise all the information needed, manufacturers are implementing data analytics in collected data.
3. Cybersecurity – The priority: Networked robots and the data they generate are mainly used by big manufacturers to increase their production efficiency, to simplify robot maintenance, improve product quality and many more. Since more robots are connected to each other, the cloud, and the enterprise. Highly powerful and quick robotic systems come with serious safety concerns that are targeted by cyberattacks which in results asks for cyber security and scrutiny,
Collaborative Robots – The Bridge
A cobot, or collaborative robot, is a robot intended for a human robot interaction within a shared space. These cobots are in complete contrast with traditional industrial robots because industrial robots are isolated from human contact, whereas the cobots safety rely on lightweight construction materials, rounded edges and with speculated speed and force or on sensor and software that ensures safe behaviour.
These cobots are also called service robots, which are mainly used for domestic and professional use. Although cobots are widely used in many industrial applications, these cobots and human workers share the same workspace, but complete the tasks independently and sequentially.
I believe Mobile Robotics is also one of the types of cobot, which have enabled numerous industries to take advantage of all the benefits that intelligent automation brings to any production line. This mobile robot is considered to be key to smart automation for creating safer, more efficient industrial spaces and achieving greater productivity.
Cobots – Fields of application
Cobots are uncaged robots with the freedom to work along with the human workers and hence have a wider field of applications.
1. Safer-collaborative work areas
Cobots are equipped with specific components to ensure they can share the same work area with operators without exposing them to any type of risk. They work in a coordinated way, with sensors that detect when people are near, thus adapting their strength, speed, or route to prioritise worker safety. Even though they are autonomous robots operating remotely, the information they process is managed by the human workers who control their functioning.
2. Better productivity and better use of resources
There is considerable time saving because these cobots act predictively to manage all the resources at their disposal (time and raw materials to be processed) more efficiently. Productivity is also higher because robot applications reduce errors, reduce defective products, and improve the quality of the finished product.
3. Safety
Inspection and maintenance tasks can involve risks and can cause hurting the operate in unsafe areas, which is why these mobile robots can be very helpful in perfecting these processes and overcoming difficulties, and this is also the case with autonomous rescue robots, which can detect the presence of gases or carry out search operations, becoming an automated tool with sensors and GPS controlled by emergency units to operate faster and with fewer risks.
4. Health
Mobile robotics applications have also become user-friendly that can greatly improve the quality of life. For example, they can be used as motorised shower systems for people with functional disabilities, to enable them to shower on their own by giving orders to the robot. Collaborative mobile robots can also become excellent hospital assistants, offering support in operating theatres, ICUs, or areas of risk for the healthcare team.
In conclusion, one can say that the robotics field is now rapidly evolving where the cost of robots is falling in general, and programming is becoming simpler. Cobots are even easier to programme and have great potential for use as service robots.
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Soundharyaa Nandakumar has done her Masters in Mechatronics and Cyber-Physical System in Germany and presently working as a Test Engineer, testing Vehicle Electronic Control Units in Connected Drive department. Her previous work experience as an automobile technician has given her a good understanding of how beautiful the car vehicle is with intricate designs and unbelievable technologies inside. This craze and passion for cars made the decision for her to pursue a career in Automotive Technology.
In her own words, I always compare cars to women, because we never know what is inside them, how mysterious they are with n number of technologies evolving around every day making them futuristic statements – just like women – undergoing many things in a day to be strong enough to conquer the world.