Robotics
More than half of Brits would embrace working with a robot
The concept of robots living among humans has often been explored within the genre of sci-fi. And whilst the idea seems far-fetched, the idea that robots could become part of everyday life has become a topic of conversation. With the influence of TV shows such as Westworld and Humans, and movies such as Blade Runner and Her, robot-human relationships has become a concept many have begun to form an opinion on. As AI continues to advance,...
Make your business more competitive by switching to robots
A seminar and workshop from ABB Robotics for UK SMEs will explain how investing in robots can help transform performance. ABB will be demonstrating how robots can help UK SME manufacturing companies to become more productive and competitive at its forthcoming Switch to Robots seminar.
Laundry folding robots among Brits’ most desired smart tech
In a world where people are busier than ever before, convenience and speed have become very desirable commodities. Luckily, the emergence of various technology has enabled individuals to spend less time on mundane everyday tasks within the workplace as well as their own home. Some of the biggest technological developments have come from WiFi enabled devices (e.g. smart speakers, smart thermostat etc.) that can function and be controlled in c...
Consumers become comfortable with robots in customer service
As Google Duplex inches closer to becoming a reality, new research by Aspect Software has revealed that over half of consumers (52%) would be comfortable communicating with a customer service robot that closely mimics human behaviour over the phone. While this indicates a growing acceptance of customer service technology that is increasingly human-like, there also remain a number of concerns about the impact this will have on the role of human ag...
The robot arms that are getting everywhere
Recent developments are opening new opportunities and catapulting the industrial robot arm into a journey around the production environment. Robots undoubtably take the drudgery out of many repetitive manufacturing, packaging and processing tasks. Engineers are generally fascinated by the idea of improving production processes and keen to integrate robots, so the decision as to whether one is used or not boils down to economics; operators wa...
Ceiling-mounted SCARA robot delivers maximum flexibility
The SCARA robot family from ABB has been expanded with the launch of a compact invert-mounted model for small parts assembly applications. By mounting the IRB 910INV on the ceiling, manufacturers can increase the space efficiency and flexibility of each cell and handle more complex tasks even in cramped locations.
India’s robot sales surged by thirty percent
Sales of industrial robots in India reached a new record of 3,412 new units installed in 2017. That is an increase of 30% compared to the previous year (2016: 2,627 units). Between 2012 and 2017 India saw a compound annual sales growth rate (CAGR) of 18%. These are the initial findings of the World Robotics Report 2018, published by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).
Are robots really going to steal our jobs?
It’s a brave new world. Industrial automation and robotics are wiping out jobs across the board, swathes of people are roaming the streets unemployed and food is being rationed by an artificial intelligence, which decides how much to give them based on its perceived view of their value to society. Or at least that’s what popular culture and national news media would have us believe. By Stephen Hayes, managing director of Beckhoff Aut...
Infographic: Drones are increasingly being used in construction
Drones are becoming increasingly popular within the construction industry as more businesses begin to adopt the technology, so much so that their usage has increased 239% year-on-year. Construction firms are utilising drones to save costs, improve efficiency and streamline projects. Some of the use cases for drones in construction can be seen in the infographic below.
Ultra-cute Alexa robot acts as assistant to parents
The new Hubble HUGO Robot, with colourful ‘clothes’, is now available for purchase directly from Moorebot and at Amazon. This is the only Alexa Smart Home accessory that adds a big camera eye and a Smile. More than a personal robot and smart speaker that can be used to control the smart home, it can also be used as a baby and child monitor with voice-recognition that can act as a smart assistant to parents.