Work Buddies

Abstract

This article presents a study on the evolution and future of low cost and flexible new generation of robots. These collaborative robots – designed to work safely with and around people – combine low cost and ease of use. They are finding their way into large plants and into small factories, which can now automate batch runs that would never be economical with a conventional industrial robot. Most of these robots are similar to conventional industrial robots, but are smaller, lighter, and simpler to use. As robotics technology has matured, programming the robots (and just about everything else) has grown easier and more intuitive. Key components, such as motion and impact sensors and vision systems, combine better performance with costs low enough to sell in cheap video game controllers. Today’s robots may not be very interactive, however, the first wave of collaborative robots are finding simple tasks where they can make a difference.