Week 2 - Robotics Capabilities

Week 2 – Robotics Capabilities

David Bregande

1/15/13

                Modern technology and a concentrated focus on the field has allowed for amazing advancements in robotic technology and its potential in everyday life.    It is clear that the movements, positions and physical abilities of these robots are increasing and that they will be able to perform tasks in multiple fields and for multiple reasons.  With the physical potential of robots advancing at a fast pace, I find now that the biggest challenge is making these machines practical, ergonomic, easy to operate and safe.  Without these parameters being met, robotics will die in the few hands of the extremely well trained and knowledgeable people that can actual use them.

                Given the vast amount that can be said about this subject, I will focus on the industrial field because it is the area most affected by robotics today.  If you research the Kia factory in Slovakia, you find a huge assembly line completely composed of robots, mainly 6-axis arms.  My initial reaction to this factory is that it looks scary and dangerous.  The machines are all very heavy, move very fast, are very big and make very loud noises.  The whole line appears to move as one with a virtual absence of human presence on the floor.  Although you only see machines, I am assuming that there are rooms full of people on computers that are ensuring the proper operation of these robots.  There were also rooms of people programming these robots as well as millions of dollars spent on constructing them.  To me this means that there is a huge separation between human and machine and that anyone having to do anything with the process is highly trained and specialized.

                The counter to this separation flaw, and in my opinion a much better way of integrating humans with robots, is presented in the form of BAXTER.  BAXTER is an industrial robot that is much more agronomical than the “system” put together by Kia.  On top of actually resembling a human being, BAXTER can be trained by a human with very little knowledge of the robot and no programing experience.  A worker can physically move the robot around in order to teach it and thus is able to continually change the robot to assist with the workers task.  It is also a very safe system that can be used around and with human beings.  It is this system that will allow for the worker and the machine to come together and help each other, rather than one completely dominating the other.

SOURCES:

• Six-Axis Robot – 2.25min
• Kia Sportage Factory Production Line – 1.75min
• Baxter – 2012 –Rethink Robotics – Safer industrial robot 4:15
• http://www.rethinkrobotics.com/
• http://www.kia-press.com/presskits/corporate/factoryslovakia/factoryslovakia.aspx