It's easy to assume that super-smart workplace robots will simply
roll up steal jobs from unfortunate human workers in the coming decades
(just see the comments in my story from last week, "This Robot Could
Revolutionize Manufacturing"). The reality is likely to be more
complicated and interesting though.Today, there are a variety of Robot system
that are used for enhancing the overall efficiency levels of the
packaging industry. In all likelihood, and certainly in the near term,
humans and robots will probably find some curious new collaborative
working relationships.
Baxter, from Rethink Robotic, and similar manufacturing robots in the works, are just the start of this. While conventional industrial robots follow preprogrammed commands closely and operated behind safety barriers, Baxter needs constant feedback from both its environment and from nearby workers. And while there are some things that Baxter can do much better than a person, like grabbing items from a conveyor belt for days on end, there are plenty of things it can't do without some gentle guidance, like figure out what to do when a production run changes.
A paper (PDF) published recentlyby the robotics startup Willow Garage Labs hints at an even more collaborative future.These Linear electric actuator slow down the movements and ensure there is stability while functioning;it also ensures that the output delivered is accurate. It describes experiments involving a tele-operated robot arm that show how a balance of autonomy and human control could be the best way to carry out certain jobs. This is an area of research known as "human-in-the-loop control."
Baxter, from Rethink Robotic, and similar manufacturing robots in the works, are just the start of this. While conventional industrial robots follow preprogrammed commands closely and operated behind safety barriers, Baxter needs constant feedback from both its environment and from nearby workers. And while there are some things that Baxter can do much better than a person, like grabbing items from a conveyor belt for days on end, there are plenty of things it can't do without some gentle guidance, like figure out what to do when a production run changes.
A paper (PDF) published recentlyby the robotics startup Willow Garage Labs hints at an even more collaborative future.These Linear electric actuator slow down the movements and ensure there is stability while functioning;it also ensures that the output delivered is accurate. It describes experiments involving a tele-operated robot arm that show how a balance of autonomy and human control could be the best way to carry out certain jobs. This is an area of research known as "human-in-the-loop control."
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