Fast progressions seen in technology over the past few decades have changed consumers’ behaviour significantly. However, the current business model is not sustainable economically or environmentally, which is why many manufacturers and industrialists are integrating robotics into production lines to initiate a paradigm shift. For human-based jobs, the change is comparatively slow but autonomous work that does not need direct control is been shifted to human-robot collaboration to get better outputs.
A few decades back, the concept behind robots was a part of science fiction but today, many industries are applying them to perform several autonomous jobs such as software building, detection, accounting, and more. Read about a few remarkable industrial areas which have started employing human-robot collaboration to remain competitive in their respective fields.
Warehouse Robots
One of the remarkable changes adopted by warehouse and storage companies is AI-based robots that work alongside human staff. The robot’s main work is to carry objects from one place to the other in a pre-determined order or the manner they have been labelled. Robots can move entire shelf units as per the command and are safe enough to prevent accidents or collisions during work. Although existing robots are not qualified to work in a few designated areas, new robot models are being invented each day that can prove safer on factory floors even.
Agricultural Robots
Human-robot collaboration in agriculture is becoming quite famous owing to the monotonous and laborious work in fields. Most agricultural workers are laborious and time-intensive but robots make them easier and fast. Autonomous drones are now been employed to plant new seeds or spread fertilizers and look after trespassers. While human ensures all manual work like weather check and material demand is ensured, robots assist them in applying them appropriately.
Robots in the Tourism sector
Human-robot collaboration is not limited to manufacturing or labour-intensive fields only but is also used in the hospitality industry. For example, a Japanese hotel employed robots that were controlled by people with disability to serve guests. A remote staff could talk to the guest through robots even though the person managing the robot stood hundreds of miles away. Many servers ensured that guests were looked after properly in an engaging way. Some restaurants also employed robots to carry food to the table but a more comprehensive model is expected to be released for future generations.
Human-robot collaboration in medical and rehabilitation
Assistive robots are one of the most well-known subfields of human-robot collaboration. In the case of people with physical and mental disabilities, robots can provide a chance for connection and rehabilitation. Robots provide a potential therapeutic application for utilising a mechanical device to enhance social connections. Robots are also being investigated for a variety of fields where kids may gain something, including helping traumatised kids. Robot integration offers special options for persons with physical limitations that are not available with other technological types. In addition to supporting and delivering physical therapy, scientists are developing robots to deliver other medical procedures as well.
Autonomous wheelchairs are a special breed of robot that employ external sensors to assist with movement planning and collision mitigation for the user who needs a wheelchair. In one demonstration of rehabilitation robotics, a robotic system was created to accurately carry out exercises for traditional physiotherapies, such as shoulder flexion, in a manner comparable to that of a physiotherapist. In this approach, the superior qualities of the human and the robot might be merged to improve the outcomes of the arm’s musculoskeletal rehabilitation.
Military Robots
Human-robot collaboration in the military has resulted in the development of autonomous or remote-controlled machines which are been employed during military applications like search, rescue, surveillance and transportation. Robots’ involvement in battles further supports the changing warfare strategies and prevents soldier casualties. Since high soldier causalities have been a matter of concern in the past, many nations’ government plans to invest in a robotic system that will be assisted by humans to maintain warfare fleets away from the battlegrounds.
Manufacturing Robots
Manufacturing is one area that employs robots the most, particularly due to their heavy-duty nature and multiple works carried out at once. Now, human-robot collaboration has resulted in better material handling, operations processes and assembling of parts in factories more than ever. Robots are been employed everywhere, from unloading raw materials to stacking them in order and taking them to machines for processing. Robots help humans to carry the material load and maintain a pre-determined work order which would otherwise prove tiresome for human employees. As many manufacturing tasks have become more complex, human assist robots to equip the manufacturing industry with a productive ecosystem that further ensures sustainable development.
Kitchen Robots
Last but not least, fast-food chains around the world have adopted robots in their kitchens to help drive faster service and lower operating costs. The human-controlled robots can now make fast food or any other product without having a break and with perfection. In fact, studies reveal that robots prepare good meals or do food preparation work with finesse. But the only issue is they cannot taste which means, humans will have to be a part of food preparation who could taste them and modify food as per consumers’ preferences.
