Both automobile manufacturers and aerospace equipment manufacturers have introduced automated robot systems on a large scale, and BAESystems also announced plans to use cooperative robots to build military aircraft earlier this month.
1. Isolation
But up to now, industrial robots are still not safe and reliable in "sharing space with human beings"-in the American market alone, there are more than 2 accidental deaths caused by robots every year-so most of the time, the areas where robots move need to be enclosed with barriers.
"They are very efficient and practical in single operations such as carrying heavy objects. However, they can only move blindly and without wisdom, so once they touch people in the process, they are likely to cause serious accidents and even death. " JosSaenz, a researcher of factory operation and automation at Hof Institute in Flawn, Germany, said.
Different from early robots, "cooperative robots" are equipped with sensors and have safety features, which can effectively detect people around them and make corresponding responses. This design makes people and robots form a perfect match: the strength and accuracy of the latter combined with the vision, perception, thinking and adaptability of the former will release more efficient productivity.
The combination of human and robot is harmonious at least for now, because many skills possessed by human beings can't be created by programs now. "There is no way to express a lot of experience and non-book knowledge with program code. For example, a worker can perceive that something is wrong, or that the vibration of the electric drill is unusual, or that a material is too hard. " Saenz said, "It will be difficult to record these in the form of documents."
2. Avoid injury
BMW is the pioneer in using "cooperative robots". In 213, BMW installed robots designed and produced by UniversalRobots of Denmark for its factory in Southern California, USA. The robot can help to complete the isolation and water sealing operation of automobile doors by spraying glue when workers hold the door components in their hands. Without these robots, the traditional manual operation will be very laborious, and may also lead to occupational injuries to the wrist.
"We are interested in ergonomics and safety. Robots can perform repetitive operations such as pushing and pulling on the production line without being hurt. " RichMorris, head of BMW's assembly and logistics department, said, "These robots work together with workers, and workers love it."
but what happens when a worker gets too close to the robot? "The robot will first warn you that you are too close." Morris said, "Then it will stop the current operation."
This year, the robot was applied to another heavy ergonomic task: inserting hard rubber into the hole of the car chassis. "Many workers hurt their thumbs when doing this." Morris explained. At first, BMW developed protective bones to support fingers through 3D printing, but now the cooperative robot with "super thumb" has completely taken over this task.
3. Learn through demonstration
The most advanced cooperative robot is flexible in function, so the same robot model can easily follow the different tasks and switch modes again, such as arranging tasks, loading and unloading tasks and handling raw materials tasks.
Baxter robot designed by p>RethinkRobotics has two mechanical arms and a dynamic expression face (screen). The robot can learn to perform various tasks through demonstration training: humans can control the robot's arm and specify a series of actions, which the robot will remember and repeat, thus achieving the purpose of demonstration learning. The screen on the head will inform the people around you of the tasks they are currently performing or the problems they are encountering through emoticons.
The first Baxter to leave the laboratory and put it into practical use was a chocolate picking robot introduced by Australian candy giant Haigh"sChocolates in February 215. The robot works with other factory workers without protection and isolation.
4. Flexibility and accuracy
The next main application field of cooperative robots is the assembly and production of consumer electronic products, which currently relies mainly on manpower.
In March this year, Baxter welcomed a little brother Sawyer with one hand. The robot was designed to perform circuit board testing and machine operation.
In addition, almost at the same time, abb, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, also launched a robot named YuMi, which is equipped with a large number of sensors and can accurately thread the thread through the sewing needle.
YuMi's small size and mobile range make it a perfect match for small assembly lines, such as smart phones, laptops and tablets.
"These features are very important for maximizing the use of space in factories and installing robots in small studios." StevenWyatt, head of ABB's marketing department, said.
once cooperative robots are widely assembled and tested in industry, they may appear in the home market immediately, but there are also many special challenges.
"In the industrial environment, people who will appear are usually adults over 18 years old, which is enough to understand the importance of wearing goggles and hard shoes in the working environment. But in a family environment, everything will be different, such as pets and children crawling on the ground. " Saenz pointed out, "But the home market is a bigger market."