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SENSOR READINGS
The weekly magazine for the robotics and automation industry
Issue 5 14 August 2015
I compute, therefore I am Can artificial intelligence compute its way to consciousness?
The race to win a byte of Apple Design principles are the key to getting the tech giant’s attention
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Looking to achieve Alfa Fiat Chrysler’s traditional values are being updated
Robotic room service Savioke’s item-carrying robot Dash gets job at Crowne Plaza
Case studies Robotics: AKE, Siemens, and TORC
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Robot room service Crowne Plaza Hotel employs Savioke’s Dash item-carrying robot 4
Germany makes progress Robotics sector grows 11 per cent in first quarter of 2015 Off side We talk to the people behind RoboDK, the new offline progamming tool
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he automotive industry is used to very long development and manufacturing cycles. For a company the size of BMW to bring out a new model, it would take several years – about seven or eight. Apple brings out a new iPhone every year or so, and a new Mac range every couple of years. The tech and auto industries are clearly on different time scales. This probably explains why Apple has been very slow to reveal its interest in cars – things develop slowly in the automotive world. Apple has still not admitted that it’s developing a car, but hiring former Chrysler executives and reports that it toured BMW’s factory would seem to confirm its intention to build one. What form that car will take is open to speculation. Certainly BMW, with its i3 and i8 models, and Fiat, with its 500 range, have shown off their curves to the tech giant. But Apple is famously secretive about its design and decision-making processes, so it’s difficult to say whether it will opt for a car that is already in existence or create something from scratch. Past form would indicate the latter. However, that won’t stop car makers and anyone who can draw from dreaming up ideas in the hope that Apple will come knocking on their door and offer a deal. And what a lucrative deal it would be. Apple sold its 500 millionth iPhone last year. Its Mac range of computers, being more expensive and specialist pieces of equipment sell at a rate of about 17 million a year. Then there are the tens of millions of iPads, iPods and other products the company sells each year. All things considered, the company has a customer base that has seen it become the largest company of any sector in the world, even bigger than the oil majors at one point. If even 1 per cent of its customers bought an Apple car, the company would immediately become one of the biggest automakers in the world. But will its car be fully autonomous? That, like all ideas Apple, is not known to outsiders. l
Special interest: Autonomous cars Looking to achieve Alfa Fiat Chrysler reconsiders its generations-old attitude to automated driving systems 14 Intelligent by design Apple, BMW and others are showing off their curves in the autonomous car race 10
F&P launches its new ‘intrinsically safe’ robot 4 Geze wins Dubai royal seal of approval 4 Rethink to supply Sonoco with custom solutions 5 Opinion: I compute, therefore I am 6 Feature: Intelligent by design 10 Robotics case studies 16 Marketplace 18
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Contents
First issue 17 July 2015
Rockwell CEO calls for youth ‘Manufacturing needs to teach and reach younger students’
China’s robot revolution The world’s most populous nation now buys the most robots
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In Brief
In Brief
Aricent acquires SmartPlay Aricent has acquired SmartPlay Technologies, a fast-growing product engineering services firm with 1,200-plus employees and design expertise across semiconductors, embedded software and system design. Financial terms were not disclosed. The acquisition immediately establishes Aricent as the #1 product engineering services firm in the semiconductor market, with more than 2,000 combined experts and relationships with 17 of the top 20 semiconductor companies. It also expands Aricent’s services and expertise in software, hardware and network products for the Internet of Things.
Epson Robots signs up Cimtec Epson Robots has added Cimtec Automation as the newest member of its growing distribution network. The agreement includes distribution of all of Epson Robots automation products including their large lineup of SCARA, 6-Axis and Linear Module robots as well as integrated vision, fieldbus I/O and many other industrial automation products offered by Epson Robots. “With over 25 years of experience, Cimtec Automation has proven themselves as more than just a distributor of products, but as a premier solutions provider in the Industrial Automation market in the Southeastern US and we are proud to have them as a part of our distribution network,” says Michael Ferrara, director of Epson Robots.
Crowne Plaza employs Dash The prestigious Crowne Plaza San Jose-Silicon Valley hotel has launched its new hotel delivery robot. Named Dash, the item-carrying robot was created by Savioke, a California-based robotics company which specialises in creating robots for the hospitality industry. The company also created the Relay robot, another item-carrying robot. Crowne Plaza is part of the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), which owns almost 5,000 hotels in nearly 100 different countries around the world. FTR cuts CaddyTrek price FTR is offering its robotic golf clubs carrier CaddyTrek at the knockdown price of $1,495 – from the usual price of $1,895 – to try and capitalise on the buzz around the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational world golf championship, which was won by Shane Lowry. FTR says the latest version of CaddyTrek features improved functionality, such as a stronger fifth wheel design and straight line tracking. The handsfree robot offers playtime of 27 holes on a single charge of its Lithium Ion battery. It can be sent to the next tee up to a range of 100 feet and at a top speed of 4 mph.
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F&P says its P-Rob robot is suitable for a wide range of applications
F&P launches its new ‘intrinsically safe’ robot F&P Robotics has launched what the company describes as a “human-friendly and intrinsically safe” collaborative robot, called P-Rob. F&P, which is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, says the torque of the motors is limited by each motor controller board. Together they are designed to protect people from being injured by physical force. The advanced safety design concepts of the P-Rob arms usually do not require additional special protection devices, says F&P. Soft material covers, limited and controlled forces and stop functions guarantee a safe close collaboration with humans. F&P says P-Rob is versatile, and is suitable to new and existing environments. P-Rob is best suited to work in changing environments and close to human co-workers. As standalone equipment or integrated into an automated workflow, it delivers
predictive results, consistent level of quality and high productivity, says the company. Different peripherals, like camera or movable base, can be easily implemented. And for more complex assembling tasks, two or more P-Robs can be set to cooperate. P-Rob also has context aware intelligence. Sophisticated software algorithms power P-Rob hardware, says the company. The software architecture is focused on adaptive behavior especially for grasping and manipulation tasks. Deep learning networks, including neural and probability network algorithms, enable the robot to adapt to a specific task and improve its performance based on feedback. The basic structure of P-Rob is made of aluminium. The robot is coated with a synthetic hull and covered by a soft, non-conductive, protective isolation material. This prevents rigid contact between the robot and the user.
Geze wins Dubai royal seal of approval The Geze Slim Line range has been installed at Al Jalila Children’s Speciality Hospital in Dubai for a fully automated doors solution. Geze says the doors blend artistic design with the prerequisites of door automation and control. The Slim Line products were chosen to be installed at the most dedicated Children’s Hospital in Dubai Dubai’s ruler and prime minister, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, announced plans to construct a state-of-the-art, specialized children’s hospital with the highest international standards, in honour of his daughter, Sheikha Jalila.
Geze was selected for the installation of a full solution for the automated and manually controlled doors at Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital, a state-of-the-art project with a 200bed hospital that aims to provide tertiary and quaternary specialized paediatric health services. All entrances of the large hospital building are equipped with Geze Slimdrive SLNT, a product that was designed to be visually appealing while serving the purpose. The drive that has a 7 cm operator is barely visible when installed on the aluminum transom.
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Hocoma launches new exoskeleton Hocoma, which specialises in robotic and sensor-based devices for functional movement therapy, has launched its new ArmeoPower. The company claims the device is the world’s first exoskeleton for integrated arm and hand rehabilitation that trains even severely affected stroke patients to use their arms and hands again. Hocoma says ArmeoPower enables highly intensive arm rehabilitation for early-stage patients even before they develop active movement. Lincoln Electric acquires Rimrock Lincoln Electric has acquired Rimrock Holdings, a privately held manufacturer and integrator of industrial automation products and robotic systems with two divisions, Wolf Robotics and Rimrock Corporation. Wolf Robotics integrates robotic welding and cutting systems predominately for heavy fabrication and transportation original equipment manufacturers and suppliers. Rimrock Corporation designs and manufactures automated spray systems and robotic systems for the die casting, foundry and forging markets.
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News
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The new deal between Rethink and Sonoco will result in collaboration on packaging systems
Rethink to supply Sonoco with custom solutions Rethink Robotics and Sonoco Alloyd have entered into a strategic alliance to deliver “complete, innovative manufacturing solutions” to Sonoco Alloyd’s packaging customers. Sonoco Alloyd, which specialises in medical and retail package design solutions based in DeKalb, Illinois, will incorporate Rethink Robotics’ collaborative robots into its line of sealing machines in order to provide a complete automation solution for its customers. Rethink’s Baxter and Sawyer robots will be sold as part of an integrated part transfer and sealing system through Sonoco Alloyd’s salesforce. The partnership will give Sonoco Alloyd’s manufacturing customers a flexible, adaptable and low-cost solution to more fully automate their custom packaging lines, say the companies. “At Sonoco Alloyd, we believe that leveraging
the industry’s most advanced collaborative robot technologies, along with our own world-class sealing systems, can provide a unique and complete solution for customers that will deliver real results in a short timeframe,” said Jeff Christensen, vice president/general manager of Sonoco Alloyd. “As an innovator in its space, Sonoco Alloyd is at the forefront of providing what today’s global manufacturers need to be successful,” said Scott Eckert, president and CEO at Rethink Robotics. Eckert added: “Sonoco Alloyd understands that collaborative robots are a big part of the future of manufacturing, this alliance allows Sonoco Alloyd to offer additional value to the reliable automation it’s already providing to customers. The combination of these two great product lines is a huge competitive advantage for manufacturers everywhere.”
Evana trumps rivals to win auto deal Evana Automation says it has won a bid to provide the “turnkey” robotic cell solution to a leading manufacturer of automotive molded parts. The Evana solution involved integrating a customerprovided robot and bowl feeder to improve upon a clip insertion process for automobile sills that was being utilized at the manufacturer’s other location. The process begins when an existing load/ unload robot simultaneously loads left- and right-side sills to the upper clip insertion tooling and clamps them into position. Next, the Evana integrated clip insertion robot loads nine clips to
the left-side sill and nine clips to the right-side sill. Once all the clips have been loaded to the sills, the clip insertion robot moves to the clip feeder position and parks the empty clip magazine and retrieves a new magazine with 18 clips loaded into it. The existing load/unload robot then unloads the sills to a conveyor and the process repeats. “With this project, Evana improved upon an existing process that was being used at another location and made it more efficient,” said Randy Wire, general manager of Evana Automation Specialists.
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Features
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Features computer was able to compute its way to passing the Turing Test, conversing well enough with judges for them to decide that it could pass for being human. This happened some time last year. Since then, this week in fact, a robot is said to have demonstrated a level of “self-awareness” that has apparently not been seen before. More stories like this will inevitably emerge, and add fuel to the ongoing philosophical debate regarding robots. However, it could be argued that the real development that is going on, the actual progress, is in translation capabilities – the computers, or the robots, are becoming far more skilful at translating human language, and calculating what responses would be most appropriate.
I compute, therefore I am Conscious robots The Turing Test is a well-known way to check if a computer has achieved a certain level of equivalence with human beings, but can any test truly reveal what it is to be human?
M
ost people would probably agree that robots will one day achieve a level of computational power that will enable them to pass for humans. But when that happens, as some say it already has, would it be a sign that they are on the way to becoming conscious, or sentient, beings? Or would it simply be a sign of their everincreasing ability to calculate more accurately? While it is relatively easy to test an industrial robot for physical accuracy in its operations, for which there is an internationally recognised standard in the form of ISO 9283, tests to evaluate robots and computers for their level of “human-like capabilities” are somewhat more ambiguous. The Turing Test is probably the most well known method of evaluating if a computer’s intelligence is indistinguishable from that of a human, although controversial. The test was articulated in 1950 by Alan Turing, a British computer scientist. Some may say that the Turing Test is too simplistic, crude even, but the idea of such a test has captured the imagination ever since computers were first being developed, from the early 1900s onwards.
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Turing was a pioneer of his day, playing an important role in World War II, when computational machines were built using mechanical gears and vacuum tubes, and used to crack coded messages by calculating all of the possible meanings of those messages. It would have taken human beings centuries of dedicated calculation to do what computers did, even back in the 1940s. And computers have become far more capable since then. Moreover, they are increasingly being networked together to create gargantuan machines with colossal computing power. “Meanings” is probably the wrong word to use, as the word meanings implies much more than mere translation, which is what the code-breaking machines essentially did. It was up to the humans to look at the computergenerated translations and decide which ones made most sense, which ones had the most relevant meanings, and then how to respond. Translation is also what modern computers do when they communicate with humans, albeit using far more computational power. So much power that at least one
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A matter of mind and consciousness As well as Turing, other figures from history may be appropriate to mention. Namely, French philosopher René Descartes. And, of course, Isaac Asimov. Descartes is famous for the quote, “Cogito ergo sum”, or “I think, therefore I am”, as it’s known in English. Many believe that Descartes meant that thinking itself is a form of self-awareness, which implies that if you think, it means that you are aware of yourself – you have self-consciousness, or more generally, you are conscious. However, substitute the word “think” for “compute” or “calculate", and Descartes’ argument becomes less convincing as a definition of consciousness, or selfawareness. Many robots give a good impression of being conscious, in that they are able to think or calculate. Many are programmed to know their own name and communicate as though they were aware of themselves, as though they were conscious. However, while robots may be able to say, “I am a robot”, or be self-referential in their conversation, the most that they can do is analyse the input of language from a source – a user, such as a human – and then calculate the most appropriate response. They merely compute within the parameters defined by the programmer. Having said that, the cloud is bringing unprecedented computing power to robots like Pepper, which its makers say is able to understand emotions and language. It’s quite possible that Pepper and its like will give responses that will appear to have been spontaneously created from something beyond the parameters defined by the programmers – from nothing. But logic would dictate that that is not possible. Upon investigation, it would be possible to find the lines of code that led to that human-like output, an output that would imply, inaccurately, that the robot or computer has a mind of its own. It does not, it is a machine – that is the general view. Human beings are organic, connected to the Earth, the
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utomation is a core driver for every A company. From the point of view of the [end user], things seem simple. But in the background a huge amount of things have to happen, and that is only possible through automation” Ivano Rondelli, NTT Communications
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moon, the planets, the solar system and the indeed the universe in a way that computers and robots are not. The development of organic computers notwithstanding. Isaac Asimov is a professor of biochemistry who wrote a collection of nine science fiction short stories called “I, Robot”. This work of fiction has proved to have an enduring power. Despite being written in 1950, the “Three Laws of Robotics” articulated in the book are often quoted and referred to in entertainment culture, often borrowed as a central theme in films. Now, the three laws are increasingly being discussed in wider society. The Three Laws of Robotics, as first listed in Asimov’s short story “Runaround”, are: l A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. l A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. l A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws. For the most part, Asimov clearly differentiates robots from humans, mostly through the depiction of robots as mechanical, made of metal. Moreover, his three laws are blunt in the way they subjugate robots, making them subservient to humans. However, in another short story called “Evidence”, set in a fictional world where there exist humanoid robots, Asimov does deal with the concept of robots passing for being human. “Evidence” centres on whether the main character is a humanoid robot or not. However, Asimov largely does not directly deal with questions such as, “What is consciousness?”, and “What is mind?” Perhaps that is the most fundamental idea in the book. None of the peripheral characters dwell on questions about the central character’s level of consciousness, just whether he is a robot or not. It would appear that the character had overcome that argument, as evidenced perhaps by his being married and running for political office. But in the world of “Evidence”, robots are not allowed to hold political office no matter how humanoid or “conscious” they appear to be. This is what provides the story with its central conflict. Further evidence of just how prescient Asimov’s stories were can be be found in the real world of today, where there are currently many who are arguing for laws to control robots and artificial intelligence. Beyond the three laws of robotics In a paper calling for the introduction of legislation to deal with robots and artificial intelligence, Ryan Calo, assistant professor in the School of Law at University of Washington, writes: “Technology has not stood still. The same private institutions that developed the Internet, from the armed forces to search engines, have initiated a significant shift toward robotics and artificial intelligence. “Courts that struggled for the proper metaphor to apply to the internet will struggle anew with robotics.” He adds that “the widespread distribution of robotics in society will, like the internet, create deep social, cultural, economic, and of course legal tensions”. Calo has previously called for a federal robotics commission. “Robotics combines, for the first time, the promiscuity of data with the capacity to do physical harm. Robotic systems accomplish tasks in ways that cannot be anticipated in advance, and robots increasingly blur the line between person and instrument.” Calo also makes the distinction between robots and
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News
Sensor Readings “It is a purely collective phenomenon that emerges from the interrelation, via synapses, of millions and millions of neurons, and the wiring architecture is the network. This architecture is far from random, and the structure that emerges there is unexpectedly similar to the architecture emerging in other complex systems, such as for instance, social networks.” It’s still a bunch of machines. No matter how accurate at conducting conversations or generally interacting in human-like ways they become, their behaviour remains within the parameters set by humans. Humans are organically, chemically and in many other ways part of, and confined to, the parameters of the universe, the nature of which is not fully understood. Who knows, the observable universe could yet turn out to be just one of many in a multiverse, as some scientists speculate it is. However, that is not to denigrate network science, which, while being a relatively new as a master’s degree subject, has potential benefits for a number of different business and technology sectors.
the internet, but with the emergence of cloud robotics, that distinction may be challenged. Moreover, if a senior NTT executive’s description of the current state of global computer networks is anything to go by, parts of the internet itself are developing intelligence, or it is being programmed that way. “The network business is in a very interesting stage at the moment,” said Ivano Rondelli, NTT Comm’s global director of network services, in an interview with RoboticsandAutomationNews.com. “We have seen the rise of cloud business, and applications, and now the network itself has changed as well. It has become more flexible and agile.” He added: “Automation is a core driver for every company. From the point of view of the person using, for example, a portal to access services, things seem simple. But in the background a huge amount of things have to happen and have to happen quickly, and all that is only possible through a high level of automation.” In another, separate interview with RoboticsandAutomationNews.com, an academic who teaches MSc Network Science at a well-known university implied that consciousness was almost an inadvertent result of coincidental circumstances created on and within a network. The academic did not want to be named because neuroscience was outside their area of expertise so they would be seen as merely speculating, which may have been the case. But the academic said: “In the era of big data, business managers need to incorporate in their portfolio the relevant knowledge on how to describe and understand multicomponent systems whose elements – namely, cells, neurons, people, organisations – interact in a nontrivial and often non-linear way. Network science offers a mathematically sound corpus to address these issues.” Speculating that “de-centralisation” might be a way to understand consciousness, the academic added: “De-centralisation, where there is no main server, and parallel computing with no main server, leads to what some academics call the concept of ‘emergence’, a standard phenomenon in complex systems where the macroscopic behaviour – for example, consciousness – cannot directly be explained in terms of how simple elements, such as neurons, work.
“
acroscopic behaviour – for example, consciousness M – cannot directly be explained in terms of how simple elements, such as neurons, work”
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Academic
There are more questions than answers The question of accuracy is easier to resolve when dealing with industrial robots, which are subject to simpler, more measurable criteria for evaluations. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has clearly defined criteria for accuracy, as set out in its standard ISO 9283. In the document, published in 1998, the ISO sets performance criteria and related test methods for manipulating industrial robots. A number of industrial robot manufacturers promote their products as being “high-accuracy robots”. The industry-wide measure is plus or minus 0.05 mm repeatability. A test undertaken by Axis New England claims that Universal Robots are even more precise, with a repeatability of 0.1 mm, which is about thickness of a human hair. It’s obviously more difficult to define accuracy in communications between humans and robots or computers. The algorithms Google uses for its search engine is perhaps the most well known example of where computers return answers that are quite closely related to what the input was. Its large number of virtual robots on the web help in this. However, Google can only return answers from web pages that already exist in its vast computer network. And it doesn’t have to mix content from different pages to produce a coherent, single answer, which is what SoftBank, the makers of the robot Pepper, apparently claim to be able to do. Pepper uses its connection to the cloud, where its complex language function is stored, to evaluate the words being input by the human talking to it, and to return words which it calculates to be the most appropriate by way of answers and conversation. Pepper is also claimed to be able to understand human emotion, but with so few in circulation, and therefore few user reports about its capabilities, it’s too early to tell how accurately it can deal with emotion, or indeed conversation. But Pepper does mark the beginning of a new type of robot, one which combines emotional intelligence with language intelligence. It’s likely that it performs reasonably well on both counts, separately or in concert. And as time goes on, and cloud robotics becomes more developed, Pepper and co will inevitably challenge if not exceed expectations of how “human-like” a robot can be. l
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First issue 17 July 2015
Rockwell CEO calls for youth ‘Manufacturing needs to teach and reach younger students’
China’s robot revolution The world’s most populous nation now buys the most robots
From strength to strength Japan unveils the ‘world’s strongest robot’
Germany makes progress Robotics sector grows 11 per cent in first quarter of 2015 Off side We talk to the people behind RoboDK, the new offline progamming tool
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Intelligent by design Autonomous cars BMW may have been in talks with Apple about autonomous cars for much longer than the two companies have admitted. It would not be surprising as both have a history of engineering design and innovation
O
f the many millions of robotics enthusiasts in the world, there are some thousands who are putting in their time and effort to actually make robots and build a business around them. For these new startups, dreaming of being the next big thing would not only be natural, it might be well advised. This type of aspirational thinking is important for long-term motivational reasons and setting high standards, provided it’s balanced by realistic expectations based on resources and skills. Apple, though it may be one of the world’s biggest companies now, did not enjoy a straightforward meteoric rise to the top. Its difficult journey story is well documented. Now, it can be used as an example of how good design principles can lead to success. If Apple made robots, they’d probably be among the best designed robots in the world. The company is reported to be preparing to launch a robotic car, an autonomous road vehicle to rival the Google driverless car, and other companies that are gearing up for launch. Apple has made decisions in the past weeks that indicate that an iCar, or whatever it ends up being called, is being revved up for the roads. If the company’s other phenomenally successful products are anything to go by, the Apple car will be wildly successful around the world, from smooth autobahns to bumpy dirt tracks.
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Last week it emerged that Apple had hired former Fiat Chrysler VP Doug Betts. Prior to that, it had hired a number of other former senior executives from leading, traditional auto makers for what is called “Project Titan”, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal, via Mashable. Apple fans have been uploading their own visions of what the car will look like. It’s difficult to say if any of them are based on inside information from Apple, but the company whatever its eventual form, the Apple car is unlikely to veer too far away from the design principles that founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak established from the beginning. Discussions about design between two talented and opinionated people such as Jobs and Wozniak are rarely a straightforward conversation, and conflicts inevitably arose. But Wozniak is credited with the design of the early Apple computers, and was celebrated for his engineering skill. Wozniak was said to have a gift for arranging components in small spaces and getting better performance out of the hardware that anyone else could. While Jobs has become known for launching aesthetically pleasing devices
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Main picture: the BMW electric cars, the i8 (left) and i3. Below: an artist’s illustration of how the new Apple autonomous car could look like. Above right: the Google autonomous car
Features such as the iMac, iPod, and iPhone, the design principle at Apple flows from the same original principles and initial engineering achievements by Wozniak – albeit with added Unix-based source code, developed through Jobs’ time with NeXTSTEP. Apple has also been reported as being in talks with BMW. The German car giant has a reputation for innovative design and world-class engineering. Its electric cars, the i3 and i8, are of interest to Apple, in particular the i3, according to TechSpot.com, translating from Manager-Magazin.de. Apple has some similarities with BMW. The car company’s advertising slogan for many years has been “The ultimate driving machine”, implying that it’s all about how the car works, rather than how it looks. Which is just as well, because some might say its appearance is quite ugly – or ruggedly handsome, if you want to be complimentary. Aesthetically pleasing or not, BMW cars have an image of being well engineered, well built and well maintained. That image isn’t based on looks alone. It’s based on the widely held opinion that it drives well. So say the countless people who have bought or driven them down the generations. Jobs was known for using the phrase “It just works” frequently when describing an Apple product. It’s a simple statement, but contains a powerful message. At a time when computers were beginning to be widely used in business and at home, many people were experiencing technical difficulties. Most computers crashed at one time or another. In the early days of YouTube, some of the most popular videos were of office workers attacking their computers because they found them so frustrating to use. That type of thing doesn’t happen so much now, with all the advances in computers. But the design principle of simplicity, ease of use, is still one of the most important factors in a successful product. It must work, and work well. You can get use to how something looks, but it’s more difficult to feel comfortable with it if it keeps breaking down. It could be argued that Apple computers worked well mostly because of the operating system, the software. But software is a crucial element of the design of a computer, arguably the most important element. The principles of good design holds true for robots too In the robotics world, aesthetics were never a priority, mainly because industrial robotic arms – the overwhelmingly dominant species of robot – were shut away in factories, performing their tasks within cages, in case of accidents involving humans. But as they become increasingly collaborative – meaning that they are released from their cages and are deemed safe for humans to work with – it’s noticeable that they have started to become more aesthetically pleasing. In this regard, the two companies that come to mind are Rethink Robotics and ABB, both of which
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11
make collaborative robots – Rethink has Sawyer and Baxter, and ABB has launched YuMi. While each country has its safety standards and regulatory bodies to uphold them, robotics is a global business, so the International Standards Organisation is the essential authority on the subject. At the moment, with collaborative robots being relatively new to the market, the ISO’s development of regulations on the subject are ongoing. Some safety standards have been published, and the organisation has published numerous additional standards on a wide range of specific areas of detail, such as performance criteria, and vocabulary. Needless to say, for any robotics company, a well designed robot means a robot that is safe to use. Beyond safety, customers would want ease of use, accuracy of performance and so on. Aesthetic considerations would be lower down the list of requirements for industrial applications, if they’re on there at all – some people might not value it at all. Easier on the eye than the average industrial robot though they may be, Sawyer, Baxter and YuMi would not be regarded highly at all unless they were safe and functioned well. Customers might appreciate their looks but none of them would pay premium prices for anything that doesn’t work properly. Industrial robots may adhere to higher standards of safety, but the rest of the criteria would apply to any robot, whether it’s for commercial or personal use. And the closer a robot gets to the customer’s home, the more likely it is that aesthetics would be prioritised. When planning any product, it’s advisable to think of the end user’s demands first, and then work backwards towards the point of production. The more you can understand about the end user’s demands or needs, right down to psychological and emotional interactions with the product, the more likely it is that you will make a better product. Although it does depend on how accurately you understand the end user and being able to interpret that knowledge into features of the product. It’s easy to find advice about design on the internet. It’s always worth taking a look at some of those. Product designers are not generally as famous or well celebrated as clothes designers, for example, but within the industry they are certainly highly regarded. Noticeably better design Tony Fadell, currently the CEO of Nest Labs, used to work for Apple and helped design the iPod. It’s probably easy to forget that before the iPod, MP3 players came in many different shapes and sizes. All of them looked clunky and loosely to put together in comparison to the iPod. In a speech on TED, Fadell says the first secret of design is “noticing the problems that are all around us”. He says comedians are good at noticing little details that are not quite right, and making humorous sketches out of them.
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12
Features
“But designers, innovators and entrepreneurs, it's our job to not just notice those things, but to go one step further and try to fix them,” says Fadden. He accepts that noticing too much detail too much of the time can lead to mental exhaustion, but when designing a product it’s important to identify as many problems as possible. “It's easy to solve a problem that almost everyone sees. But it's hard to solve a problem that almost no one sees,” he says. And it’s not always about how something looks or even functions. It can be something as simple as pre-installing batteries into an electronics product. Fadden says Jobs noticed how many electronic products back in the old days used to be sold without batteries. So, not only did Apple help change that culture, it now pre-charges its phone batteries so the customer can use it immediately out of the box. “It just works,” as Jobs may have said. Aesthetically, too, it’s possible that Jobs was deliberately going for simplicity. Whereas many mobile phones of the day had lots of buttons and edges at different angles, hinges and other visible signs of its construction, the iPhone dispensed with as much of that as it possibly could. One hallmark of a design classic is when you don’t have to radically change it for many years. The first iMac, with its bright colours, was a playful way to introduce Apple computers to consumers who had never thought of having a desktop computer at home. Now the iMac has matured into a more serious looking product, and because of advances in flat-scene technology, looks sleek and stylish. The iPhone hasn’t changed much at all since its launch. Minimalism is probably the word to use. The world is a hectic, frenetic place. It can be overstimulating. Too many bells and whistles with your chips. Why not make things simple? Simple to look at, and simple to use. Both Rethink and ABB do a good job of simplicity with their collaborative robots. So too do iRobot and Dyson, with their home vacuum cleaning robots. 3D Robotics’ drone is one of the more attractive consumer drones on the market. But many of the others are not bad either. What might now be called “modern” design principles are well understood and widely applied. This makes it even more difficult for new robotics companies to make their products stand out in the market. What becomes crucial, what remains as the essence of competition, the differentiator, is details. Or, as Fadell might put it, how many problems you can notice and solve. The emphasis on details is not new, but it still works. What’s important is to know what details are important, and what is not. Cracking the da Vinci code Someone who goes to the kitchen and is looking to make a salad or cook a meal would probably need a knife at some point. If they did, they would probably reach for the best one. The best knife in this context would be a traditional kitchen knife, a cook’s knife, or something like that. Whatever it is, it’s almost certainly not going to be the Swiss army knife. However, if that same someone were to go camping for few days, the Swiss army knife would probably be very useful in that context. Trying to do too many things with one product may be a bad idea. Having said that, the first
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Sensor Readings
Dress designed in the 1960s by Yves Saint Laurent, based on art by Piet Mondrian. Art may or may not be a good place to find design ideas, if not templates
iPhone did a whole lot more than the phones around at the time, and set a standard for other phones to follow. Apple put a lot of time and money into creating an apps ecosystem, a concept which did not really exist before. Not many companies can do that. And not many companies can make deals with AT&T that almost guarantees reliable internet connection – which really was the “killer app” that made the iPhone sell as well as it did. Until then, there were many phones that claimed to offer internet connection. But too many of them were expensive, didn’t work well, were unreliable, and generally so frustrating to use that many people just didn’t want to face going through the agony and just waited until they were next at a computer to go online. So, while robotics startups may not have anything like the resources that Apple had, even before it launched the iPhone, they can certainly identify what their own killer app is. That shouldn’t cost too much money, it’s probably mostly a question of noticing, of thinking, of identifying what it is that people are having a big problem with in their market, and how the robotics startup can solve it. Art is probably not a good place to find design templates. Great artists rarely think of the audience or market when they are creating their work, preferring to look within themselves at their deepest interpretations of what they have experienced of the world and share those with the viewers, or the market as such, through their art. So maybe it wouldn’t directly give you design ideas, but it might give you an insight into the human psyche. Just trying to thinking of those things might help to exercise that part of your brain that is used for insightful thinking. This may be helpful in the context of design and development of many kinds. If not, you just end up having seen some art. And that’s no loss. Almost all designers and thinkers would probably start expressing their ideas using a pencil and paper. Sketches by Pablo Picasso and Leonardo da Vinci may not be directly helpful, but no harm in looking at them. Piet Mondrian is probably a good go-to artist for the modern designer. None of these are particularly original suggestions, but the general objective remains to exercise the part of your mind that is used to think about what problems people, what they think about, have and how to solve those problems, or at least engage them in metaphorical or symbolic conversation. Abstract sculpture would also be a good place to go for ideas and insights if you’re in development mode. Unless you’re developing human-like humanoid robot, or an android, in which case just looking at humans would seem to be an obvious place to start. Cinema has shown many robots down the generations. Among the most well known are C3PO and R2D2 from the Star Wars films. Having been way ahead of their time, they still wouldn’t look totally out of place in today’s world. The Starship Enterprise from Star Trek hasn’t changed much. Its overall structure has stayed more or less the same. Get it right or as close to right as possible first time, and you don’t have to change anything. Just refine. If there’s one thing that seems to work, it is this: simplification. Make things simple for people to use and look at. That seems to be the key that unlocked the world for Apple. Maybe it can do the same for other companies. l
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14
Interviews
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Sensor Readings
Fiat Chrysler looks to achieve Alfa T he technology expert in charge of the Alfa Romeo and Maserati brands believes the arrival of autonomous cars is imminent and will soon become a standard in the automobile industry even as he called the trend a collection of “gimmicks”, in an interview with Motor Trend. Alfa Romeo has just launched the Giulia in the US, after a 20-year break in production in America. The Giulia is aimed at competing against the BMW 3 series and Jaguar XE, and is said to be a result of the extensive restructuring programme that’s been happening at Alfa Romeo over the past two years. The company is also said to be planning to launch a larger SUV, aimed at competing with the BMW X3, Audi QS and the Mercedes GLC, among others. Alfa Romeo is one of the brands owned by the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles group. Other marques in the company’s stables include Dodge, Jeep, Maserati and Ferrari. All these names are strongly associated with what could be described as a golden age of driving, each in its own way an apogee of mechanical“muscle car” achievement. Ferrari, for example, was initially built entirely for Formula 1 racing, only later going into production. Alfa Romeo also has a decorated history in motor racing, and was typical of the manual driving generation of cars, and it was among the carmakers which had a natural resistance to, or just simply ignored, innovations that had less to do with mechanics and more to do with electronics and computers. But in recent years, the trend has been towards automation, with increasing number of cars featuring driver assistance systems. For example, the vast majority of new cars sold in the US have automatic transmission, which was anathema for supercars until recently. Moreover, new cars are increasingly automated – from electric windows, to assisted parking, automatic collisionavoidance breaking, and so on. Not only that, technologies such as vehicle to vehicle (V2V) communications are enabling companies such as NXP, the semiconductor maker, to play a bigger role in the auto market. And now, with Apple having employed several former Chrysler senior executives, the group is having an obvious rethink of its attitude towards autonomous driving. The generation that favoured the “driver’s car” is giving way to a new generation of safety-conscious tech fans. Harald Wester, CTO at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, said the automobile group as a whole was spending more on autonomous driving technology, and it will roll out “more advanced systems” over time. “We will go with the Levante [another brand the auto giant owns owns] with the first rollout of more advanced systems,” he said. “Adaptive stop-and-go cruise control, the first step of autonomous driving, and so on. Because it's part of the safety strategy of the future, and it's becoming an indispensible attribute of any type of product. Usually people who are choosing our cars, they want to drive, they want to be involved, they don't want to be driven. Step by step: We will never be a full front-runner on these gimmicks. Autonomous driving is around the corner. It will be beneficial to all of us for safety reasons. A lot of questions remain, but from my point of view, it will become kind of a standard.” Wester also said the autonomous driving technology will find its way into the company’s other brands, including the Maserati, a car that could be said to be emblematic of the mechanical generation, but “not yet”.
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Autonomous cars With former Chrysler execs being hired by Apple, the company could be in line to win big when autonomous cars finally take to the road
Above: the Fiat 500e electric car, which the company claims to be selling at a loss
Wester said: “In the future, it will just become a standard. It's not a differentiator. It will become a kind of a knockout factor – you have to have it. Nobody will drive a Maserati because it has the best autonomous driving features. Maybe people will reject to buy one because they don't want to have something like this, but maybe they will want it in an absolutely annoying situation you are potentially in every morning and every evening. I still have difficulties to imagine myself sitting in my car behind my steering wheel and reading a newspaper. Can you imagine? It will be a generational change – our children, or the children of our children.” While sitting in what used to be the driving seat and reading a newspaper as the car drives itself would undoubtedly be difficult to imagine for generations of people who have been driving cars themselves, it’s not a concept that tech companies have had difficulties realising. Google was probably the first company to talk about and develop driverless cars, and the company’s odd-looking contraption was shown in news media being tested, amid much scepticism. But other companies have since entered the race to develop autonomous cars and have invested heavily in researching the technology. Apple is said to be developing its own autonomous car, even though the company has not yet publicly admitted it. As well as recently hiring former Chrysler executives, it has emerged that the tech giant has also been in talks with BMW. The talks took place about a year ago, and reportedly centred on BMW’s electric cars, in particular the i3. Both Apple and BMW have reputations for developing innovative technologies in their field. But both are highly secretive and their reluctance to share knowledge and production techniques with outsiders may make it difficult for them to develop a partnership. Moreover, BMW is said to be reluctant to become just a parts supplier, having enjoyed the status of being one of the world’s most prestigious car brands for many generations. However, with Apple having an install base of hundreds of millions of customers who have shown willingness to buy their electronic devices no matter how ridiculously expensive, doing business with the iPhone maker could be the biggest business BMW has ever conducted, if it were to happen. But it may well be Fiat Chrysler that makes a deal with Apple first, although not necessarily to the exclusion of others. Fiat Chrysler would seem to be in an ideal position to want a deal, with its change of attitude in embracing new technology, and with its restarting of production in the US. One choice that Apple may be faced with right now, if indeed it is having to make choices between who to make deals with, is this: the BMW models it was said to be interested in were electric cars, whereas the Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne is said to hate electric cars and be firmly in favour of an alternative technology, the hydrogen fuel cell, a view shared by Wester. Having said that, Marchionne did oversee the launch of the Fiat 500e electric car, although he is reported to have begged people not to buy it because each unit is allegedly sold at a loss of thousands of dollars. But if the company is truly transforming itself and engaging with a new and fundamentally different generation of motorist, Fiat Chrysler is probably going to have to learn to love electric cars, and a less mechanical, more computerised, way of life on the roads. l
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Offline programming Offline programming has never been easier thanks to RoboDK. You don’t need to learn brand-specific languages anymore. RoboDK handles the robot controller syntax and outputs the right program for your robot. Try a basic Pick and Place example.
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16
Case studies
Sensor Readings
Siemens PLM software powers AKE Robotics Siemens software powers AKE Robotics system for customer such as Volvo and Volkswagen
A
KE Robotics is a subsidiary of the German enterprise AKE-Systemtechnik. The parent company designs and builds everything from transport systems to robotic manufacturing cells. AKE Robotics, located in Poland, configures and programs all types of industrial robots for applications in manufacturing, assembly and logistics. By incorporating the most up-to-date technology in the field of industrial robotics, AKE Robotics meets the demands of exacting customers, including Volkswagen, Volvo Gent, Mercedes, Audi and Seat. Supplying robots to the global market requires the highest quality standards. The configuration of crucial production environments has a decisive influence on the high level of responsibility for each realization. In many situations, AKE Robotics’ work is constrained by time and space limitations, but the company must still deliver reliable, essentially flawless robot operations. Inaccurate
installations result in costly production downtimes and require considerable expenditures to correct. Also, when there are errors, repair work must be done at the customer’s site, significantly reducing the profitability of that project. Compatibility key in software To improve quality and minimize risks, AKE Robotics decided to implement a robot programming and simulation solution. One of the features the company searched for in this type of software was compatibility with leading computer-aided design (CAD) systems. In addition to making its own designers’ work easier (if customers’ CAD data could be imported), compatibility with other systems would also make it easier for the company to expand into new markets. The openness and strong reputation of Robcad software, part of the Tecnomatix software portfolio from Siemens PLM Software, made it the right
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choice for AKE Robotics. “The main reasons we went with Robcad were because it offered us the possibility of working with prestigious automakers and because it is compatible with our parent company in Germany, which uses Robcad as well,” says Bartlomiej Siuda, managing director at AKE Robotics. “It also lets us take on smaller projects, which were previously unprofitable for us.” He notes, “All of the company’s designers had already used Robcad at previous jobs, so the software was implemented in a flash.” Efficiency and optimization reflected in the numbers The use of Robcad has dramatically improved employee productivity at AKE Robotics. The designers no longer waste time redesigning elements of a robot system that already exists. Also, with Robcad they can create systems that don’t require additional changes as they are installed. In the past, when assembly and process-related
errors occurred, it was necessary for employees to spend long periods at customer sites across Europe. Not only did this reduce the profitability of a project, it prevented those employees from taking on new tasks. Robcad allows robot programming to be done offline (and not at the customer’s site); the software’s simulation functionality literally reduces errors found as the robots are being installed. “Performing work at the customer’s facility is very costly,” says Siuda. “Robcad lets us work remotely in the preliminary stages of a project, and also lets us detect and eliminate collisions early on.” This has reduced the project travel costs by 25 percent, saving 120,000 zlotys (approximately $44,000 US dollars) per year. Overall, Siuda estimates that the improved productivity made possible by Robcad has increased the profitability of every project by 30 percent. Another important benefit resulting from the use of Robcad is a 60 percent reduction in the time needed to design and install a new robotic system. This comes mainly from using simulation to detect errors early in the development cycle. “The ability to perform a full simulation eliminates the occurrence of construction errors and tooling faults, as well as errors in the elements of installation,” explains Siuda. “Thanks to design accuracy as well as the tool for collision detection, we have eliminated more than 90+ percent of the situations in which we previously noted discrepancies. Now we are able to eliminate them even before the delivery of equipment to the customer’s site.” Siemens PLM Software’s offline robot programming solution played an important role in a spectacular success at AKE Robotics. Siuda notes, “Thanks to Robcad, we established a permanent relationship with Volkswagen, which also uses Siemens’ software.” No longer just another subcontractor “Robcad software has allowed us to move to another level,” says Siuda. “Nowadays, unlike many others, we are a partner that participates in the development of the project. We are not an ordinary subcontractor anymore.” l
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Case studies
17
Remote control solutions for mining in hazardous areas TORC instrumental in adding new valuable capabilities to a mine which has never such options at their disposal previously
Project goals l Enhance the ability to handle unsafe situations at the mine site, quickly and effectively. l Reduce risk and ensure optimal safety and security of workers and assets. l Reduce downtime and operational losses while recovering from a landslide. l Eliminate training downtime due to the conversion to tele-operated vehicles.
O
ne of the largest open-pit copper mining operations in the United States historically has produced more copper than any other mine – more than 19 million tons. Last year, the mine experienced a series of large landslides that sent 135 million tons of debris into the bottom of the mine. The slide stretched about three-quarters of a mile and swept away the main hauling road. The mine’s operators were able to predict the lanvdslide, and shut down operations as a safety precaution in anticipation of the slide; fortunately no one was injured. In search of ways to remove the debris and repair the mine, mine managers reached out to TORC Robotics for a solution to improve productivity while maintaining worker safety. TORC’s solution was to create an exact replica of the operator’s control station in a Hitachi EX5600 Hydraulic Excavator and a CAT 793D 240-ton haul
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truck. Instead of looking out of the windshield of the vehicle, the operator looks at multiple monitors of high definition video feed from the actual vehicle, yards away. The equipment can rapidly move between manual and tele-operated control with the flip of a switch. The equipment is manually driven to a transition zone, where the operator leaves the vehicle’s cab. The equipment operator then goes into a climate-controlled control room that contains two operator stations and a spotter. A nearby communications trailer provides a dedicated wireless communications link between the equipment and the operator. Once the operator is in the remote control room, the vehicle is driven remotely into the hazardous zone.TORC provided tele-operated systems, retrofitted to existing equipment, as a complete safety solution that gave workers the ability to continue mining operations
during the recovery, while keeping them out of harm’s way. Project outcome The operator control station is designed to exactly mirror the control center in the cab, allowing seamless transitions for the workers between manual and tele-operated control. This allows the mine to continue working without putting personnel into risky and dangerous situations. Once the operator control systems were delivered and tested, the operator did not need any additional training to get started as it was identical to the actual vehicle controls. Although the mine is now in safer working conditions, this mining operation has the technology and capability to use these vehicles if such an unsafe situation were to occur again. They also have the ability to explore currently untapped areas of the mine that are deemed unsafe as well. l
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Marketplace
Off side We talk to the people behind RoboDK, the new offline progamming tool
Directory Listing
Marketplace
Robotics Society of Japan rsj.or.jp The Robotics Society of Japan promotes progress in academic fields and provides specialists with a venue for announcing their research and exchanging technical information.
euRobotics AISBL eu-robotics.net
British Automation & Robot Association bara.org.uk
Actuation
The aim of the BARA is to promote the use of, and assist in the development of Industrial Robots and Automation in British industry. In 2009 BARA joined forces with the PPMA (Processing & Packaging Machinery Association) to become a special interest focus group.
International Federation of Robotics ifr.org The purpose of IFR shall be to promote and strengthen the robotics industry worldwide, to protect its business interests, to cause public awareness about robotics technologies and to deal with other matters of relevance to its members.
IEEE Robotics and Automation Society ieee-ras.org
euRobotics AISBL is a Brussels based international non-profit association for all stakeholders in European robotics. euRobotics builds upon the success of the European Robotics Technology Platform and the academic network of EURON, and will continue the cooperation abetween members of these two community driven organisations.
Our Mission is to foster the development and facilitate the exchange of scientific and technological knowledge in Robotics and Automation that benefits members, the profession and humanity. Our Vision is to be the most recognized and respected global organization in Robotics and Automation.
Robotic Industries Association robotics.org
China Robot Industry Alliance cria.mei.net.cn
The Robotic Industries Association (RIA) drives innovation, growth, and safety in manufacturing and service industries through education, promotion, and advancement of robotics, related automation technologies, and companies delivering integrated solutions.
CRIA is a non-profit organization composed of enterprises, manufacturers, universities, research institutes, regional or local robotic associations, related organizations as well as organizations in the fields of R&D, manufacturing, application and services of the robot industry.
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PHD PHD is a leading manufacturer of industrial automation actuators, designed to help companies across all industries optimize their manufacturing processes. phdinc.com
Wittenstein From machine tools or woodworking and packaging machines through robotics and handling equipment to food processing, pharmaceutical and medical technology or intralogistics, Wittenstein actuators keep you one step ahead of the competition. wittenstein-us.com
Ham-Let More than half a century of excellence servicing the high purity and process industries with designing, developing, producing and marketing of fluid system components. ham-let.com
ATC The Actuator Technology Company operates independently and is located close to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. We are acclaimed and appreciated for offering vital design support during FEED and detailed design stage (EPC). atc-actuators.com
The Valve and Actuator Co We realise there is an urgent need to provide experienced technical support with competitive pricing. We carry an extensive stock of electric and pneumatic actuators and general valves. valveandactuatorcompany.co.uk
Rethink Robotics Our patented SEA technology uses springs to advance the robot’s motion control solution from one of rigid positioning to one of force control. rethinkrobotics.com
Parker Parker actuators come in a wide range of construction types, ranging from compact light duty aluminum air actuators, motorized electric actuators, to heavy duty hydraulic designs. parker.com
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21
Marketplace: technology Computing & Software
Arduino Arduino is an open-source computer hardware and software company, project and user community that designs and manufactures kits for building digital devices and interactive objects that can sense and control the physical world. arduino.cc
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Cognex
Microcontrollers & Microchips
No matter what the machine vision application, Cognex offers a complete family of vision products—from standalone vision systems to 3D vision software— that provide unparalleled accuracy and repeatability. cognex.com
Sensors Ranesas
Alphasense
Renesas Electronics Corporation, the world’s number one supplier of microcontrollers, is a premier supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions including microcontrollers, SoC solutions and a broad range of analog and power devices. renesas.com
Alphasense has established a reputation as a reliable source for a wide range of gas sensor technologies. We supply high-quality Oxygen,CO2, toxic and flammable Gas sensors to many of the world’s leading industrial OEMs. alphasense.com
RoboDK
Raspberry Pi
Rockwell Automation
STMicroelectronics
4D Technology
Sensiron
Offline programming has never been easier thanks to RoboDK. You don’t need to learn brand-specific languages anymore. RoboDK handles the robot controller syntax and outputs the right program for your robot. robodk.com
The Raspberry Pi is a series of credit cardsized single-board computers developed in the UK by the Raspberry Pi Foundation with the intention of promoting the teaching of basic computer science in schools. raspberrypi.org
Preferred integration starts with using plug-and-play technology, which means robots connect through Ethernet/IP with software and service interfaces that simplify design, operation and maintenance efforts to improve machine and overall line OEE. rockwellautomation.com
A world leader in providing the semiconductor solutions that make a positive contribution to people’s lives, both today and in the future. st.com
4D Technology designs and manufactures laser interferometers, surface roughness profilers and interferometry accessories. 4dtechnology.com
Sensirion is a leading sensor manufacturer, providing relative humidity sensors and flow sensor solutions with unique performance. sensirion.com
Evana Automation
Infineon
Sano
Hansford Sensors
Evana specializes in designing and implementing robotics automation solutions that fit your specific manufacturing needs. Let our robotics engineering and robotics manufacturing experts develop a custom robotics automation solution that meets your requirements. evanaautomation.com
We provide semiconductor and system solutions, focusing on three central needs of our modern society: Energy Efficiency, Mobility and Security. infineon.com
Sano is a biometric sensor and software company with a patented, breakthrough sensor that will help people understand what’s happening inside their bodies through continuously monitoring important markers in their bodies’ chemistry. sano.co
At Hansford Sensors, we design, develop and manufacture a wide range of high performance industrial accelerometers, vibration transmitters (loop powered sensors) and ancillary equipment. hansfordsensors.com
KUKA.WorkVisual Dassault Systemes Robotics Programmer provides a 3D environment where robot programmers can create, program, simulate and validate an entire robot workcell. 3ds.com
Programming. Configuration. Loading. Testing. Diagnosis. Modifying. Archiving. KUKA. WorkVisual groups all the steps of a project together in a homogenous offline development, online diagnosis and maintenance environment. kuka-robotics.com
Freescale Adept Adept has cultivated and maintained key partnerships with industry-leading integrators, OEMs, and machine builders across the globe and throughout numerous application segments. adept.com
NewBotic Corporation
Atmel
NewBotic is a robotic systems integrator, best known for its specialized engineering services that designs advanced transformative manufacturing and warehousing processes for a wide variety of industries. newbotic.com
Atmel Corporation is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of microcontrollers, capacitive touch solutions, advanced logic, mixed-signal, nonvolatile memory and radio frequency components. atmel.com Silicon Labs
FANUC Authorized Integrators Aldebaran by Softbank ABB RobotStudio Aldebaran enables both novices and experts to use its robots with ease. To do this, an SDK has been developed to support creation in the best way possible: 3D simulator, simple and intuitive programming software, C++ libraries, Python, .Net. aldebaran.com
RobotStudio provides the tools to increase the profitability of your robot system by letting you perform tasks such as training, programming, and optimization without disturbing production. abb.com
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An Authorized FANUC Integrator is ready to analyze your system requirements and provide a robotic solution that will improve quality, throughput, and productivity to give you the return on investment you are looking for. fanucamerica.com
Freescale Semiconductor enables secure, embedded processing solutions for the Internet of Tomorrow. Freescale’s solutions drive a more innovative and connected world, simplifying our lives and making us safer. freescale.com
Genesis Systems Genesis Systems Group designs, builds and implements robotic arc welding systems, assembly automation systems and robotic tooling, material handling solutions, non-destructive inspection cells and robotic waterjet cutting systems like nobody else. genesis-systems.com
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Silicon Labs is a team of hardware and software innovators dedicated to solving our customer’s toughest embedded design challenges. silabs.com
Texas Instruments
EMX
TI’s microcontroller platform offers innovative devices with integrated on-chip architectures, unique intellectual property, system expertise in key markets, and a comprehensive ecosystem of software, tools and support. ti.com
EMX is one of the world’s leading innovators of specialty sensors in the factory and process automation markets. Our sensors are used in automotive, packaging, labeling, metal stamping, paper and wood processing, plastics, electronics and pharmaceutical manufacturing. emxinc.com
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Synaptics Synaptics is a world leader in capacitive touch sensing technology. This patented technology is at the heart of our industry-standard TouchPad products and other solutions. synaptics.com
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22
Sensor Readings
Marketplace
Sensor Readings
Marketplace
23
Marketplace: companies Kawada
Kawasaki
SynTouch
3D Robotics 3DR helps people see their world from above. As North America’s largest personal drone company, 3DR is a pioneer in making advanced, easy-to-use drone technology. 3dr.com
For over 40 years, Kawasaki has been improving technology to meet the high demand of assembly applications. Kawasaki’s innovative hardware and software can help you solve your complex assembly challenges. kawasaki.com
SynTouch LLC developed and makes the only sensor technology in the world that endows robots with the ability to replicate - and sometimes exceed - the human sense of touch. syntouchllc.com
DENSO Robotics Yaskawa Yaskawa Motoman offers a wide range of industrial robotic arm models for high-speed precision assembly and small part handling including high-performance sixaxis robots; flexible seven-axis manipulators; dual-arm robots with 15 axes; and more. motoman.com
Universal Robots Universal Robots is a result of many years of intensive research in robotics. The product portfolio includes the collaborative UR3, UR5 and UR10 robot arms named after their payloads in kilos. universal-robots.com
Vecna Vecna’s robotic logistics solutions are a family of autonomous mobile robots, built to operate within human-centric environments. vecna.com
Cutting edge technology, class leading products and groundbreaking systems are only part of what you can expect when you choose DENSO Robotics. densorobotics.com
Schunk SCHUNK is one of the largest manufacturer for automation components, toolholders and workholding equipment. schunk.com
”Serving society through technology,” has been Kawada’s mission since its inception in 1922. Our mission has been accomplished through technological innovations in a vast range of operations, including projects involving transportation, energy, and information, all basic necessities of society. global.kawada.jp
Brain Corporation Energid
Stäubli Stäubli is a mechatronics solutions provider with three dedicated divisions: textile, connectors and robotics, serving customers who want to increase their productivity in many industrial sectors. staubli.com
Energid Technologies develops advanced software and robotic systems for the aerospace, agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, defense, and medical industries. energid.com
Brain Corporation develops software, hardware, and cloud services for consumer robotics. Our goal is to make intelligent and useful machines a part of everyday life with the world’s first training-based operating system for robots – BrainOS. braincorporation.com
Honda Robotics
Ekso Bionics
Bosch Robotics
DMG Mori Ellison
Honda has further advanced intelligence technologies enabling its advanced humanoid robot ASIMO to act autonomously and perform uninterrupted service to office guests. honda.com
Ekso Bionics helps survivors of stroke, spinal cord injury and other forms of lower extremity weakness to walk again. intl.eksobionics.com
We are working on Personal Robotics and the enabling technologies. Our interdisciplinary team conducts research on topics such as mobile manipulation, navigation, perception and semantic analysis of 3D data. bosch.us
DMG Mori Ellison Technologies is a provider of advanced machining solutions to North American metal-cutting manufacturers and their global affiliates. ellisontechnologies.com
Epson
iRobot
ASI
DAIHEN
With over 45,000 robots installed in factories throughout the world, many of the top manufacturing companies rely on Epson Robots every day to reduce production costs, improve product quality, increase yields and help increase their bottom line. epson.com
iRobot’s home robots are revolutionizing the way people clean – inside and out. More than 10 million home robots have been sold worldwide. www.irobot.com
Autonomous Solutions is a world leader in vendor independent vehicle automation systems. From our HQ in Utah, we serve clients in the mining, agriculture, automotive, government, and manufacturing industries with remote control, teleoperation, and fully automated solutions. asirobots.com
The DAIHEN Group makes it our mission to provide products and services indispensable to primary industries around the world, including first and foremost the power industry or so-called “lifeline” of society. daihen.co.jp
Robotiq Our goal is to enable all manufacturers to take full advantage of robotics. We work with robot manufacturers, system integrators and end-users to automate applications that require fexibility. robotiq.com
Dyson Dyson recently invested in a joint robotics lab with Imperial College London to investigate vision systems and engineer a generation of household robots. dyson.co.uk
TEUN
Future Robot
Clearpath Robotics
Axium
TEUN is a comprehensive concept, based on a smart unmanned machine, the PIQR. The concept has been developed to offer a solution for the frequently complex laborintensive and expensive way of unloading containers. teun.com
We, Future Robot, aim to create an exemplary service robot market. We deal with Coupon Advertising Robot, Mobile Infotainment Service, Robot Event Service, and many more.
We build the world’s best unmanned vehicles for research and development. Our products will save time, money and headaches on your next project. clearpathrobotics.com
Axium designs, manufactures and installs a complete range of automated solutions for robotic material handling (palletizing, depalletizing, case packing, and peripheral equipments) and transformation of plastic products. axiumsolutions.com
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Honeybee Robotics Since 1983, Honeybee has completed over 300 projects for NASA, the US Department of Defense, academia, industry and artists. honeybeerobotics.com
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Aethon Aethon is best known for its TUG autonomous mobile delivery robot which transports medications, meals and materials through hospitals. aethon.com
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Aurotek Aurotek delivers high valueadded services and solutions, and helping customers achieve greater value through its introduction of advanced and quality components, acquirement of new technology concepts. robot.com.tw
Apex Automation and Robotics Apex Automation and Robotics is an Australian company specialising in the design and manufacture of custom-built automation machines and robotic systems. apexautomation.com.au
Adept Adept systems provide unmatched performance and economic value throughout the production lifecycle, enabling customers to achieve precision, quality and productivity in their assembly, handling and packaging processes. adept.com
Reis Experts know REIS as creative pacemaker for process-oriented system solutions. Since 1957 our way has been going dynamically up. The fundamentals: Inventive genius, competence, innovative power, and reliability. reisrobotics.de
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China’s robot revolution The world’s most populous nation now buys the most robots
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