[stefie10]

Yes, but that is why it costs so much to deploy industrial robots. There are many applications where it is technically possible to automate today, but not economical, due to the cost of setting up the robot, due to it needing ample space and having to program a specific motion. If the robot could see and avoid obstacles and dynamically plan to pick stuff up, it would not need as much space, and it would be easier and faster to program them for the task (when the task changes).

Stefanie

Senior Director, Realtime Robotics

[contingencies]

While adaptability as a device for expanding applications and market makes sense, your example of picking stuff up in a generic fashion also requires expensive and dexterous actuators, a reliable power source, plus knowledge of material properties and estimates of things like weight to facilitate an appropriate grip. Right now, that pushes costs higher than a manual deployment of dumb robotics (which will be generally faster, more reliable, and easier to maintain and hire for), which is why IMHO industry prefers dumb robotics. The reality is that most environments simply are not that dynamic, especially in industry.

[Qworg]

Not only that, industrial robots are chosen for repeatability, not speed. A flexible system necessarily doesn't take the most efficient path, and if it does, you'd just buy a dumb arm.