The Future Is Now for the Robot Revolution
IndustryWeek (06/01/08) Teresko, John

Industrial robots have become commonplace in auto manufacturing in the past 50 years, but new generations of robots, some of which are very humanoid in design, promise a revolution in the use of robots in both industrial and non-industrial capacities. Robotic Industries Association (RIA) Executive Vice President Jeffrey A. Burnstein sees substantial growth potential for robotics, even in the factory automation roles where first-generation robots have become commonplace. Robot functions are becoming integrated with other equipment, such as the pallet truck; Seegrid Corp.'s GP8 robotic pallet truck is able to transport and position pallets automatically, using stereo cameras to build a 3D map of the environment and then navigating on its own. "It enables warehouse operators to maintain their hard-learned and hard-earned best practices while giving them a new tool to address the challenges they face today—labor shortages, ergonomic and safety issues and cost reduction," says Seegrid CEO Scott Friedman. Yaskawa Electric Corp.'s Motoman Inc. division has introduced a humanoid robot called the Motoman-SDA10 that has two arms and several axes of movement, creating the potential for personal robotics, according to Motoman COO Craig Jennings. Jennings predicts a future for the Motoman in the third world, where it could substitute for women in unpleasant work environments: "The design goal in creating the two-arm robot was to create the form, fit and function of a woman that would typically be performing various assembly tasks. The result: a design matching an average woman's height, size and slimness."
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