The Future of Robotics: Key Trends to Watch in 2024
Let’s start with the elephant in the room: this year, the robotic trend is moving impressively toward humanoid robots. Recent demonstration videos have amazed the world, showing that the arrival of humanoid robots in our daily lives is imminent. The motto “One small step for humanoids, a giant leap for the industry” seems to come true every few weeks. In
2024 promises to be a groundbreaking year, marked by transformative advancements in robotics. It’s time to look ahead at the top five trends set to shape the future of robotics today:
1 – Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning
AI-drive interface:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning are fundamentally reshaping robotics and automation. Robot manufacturers are now developing generative AI-driven interfaces, enabling users to program robots using natural language instruction instead of code. This innovative approach eliminates the need for specialized programming skills, making robotics more accessible and reducing training costs and deployment times.
AI’s Role in Predictive Maintenance Applications:
Predictive AI is transforming maintenance applications by analysing robot performance data to foresee equipment issues and schedule maintenance proactively. In a report of 2022, Siemens announced that 2 million dollars were lost per hour in downtime within the automotive industry last year. Because unplanned downtime costs manufacturers at least 50% more today than it did in the period 2019–20, due to spiralling inflation and production lines running at higher capacity. Predictive maintenance solutions can significantly reduce these costs.
More data, algorithms more efficient:
Machine learning algorithms analyze data from multiple robots performing similar processes, enabling continuous optimization. The more data these algorithms have access to, the better they perform. Additionally, AI-integrated microchips are being developed to process more data with less energy, further enhancing predictive maintenance capabilities. This integration enables faster, more accurate data analysis, minimizing downtime and maximizing productivity.
The addition of the Archimedes Drive:
The Archimedes Drive enhances predictive maintenance efforts by providing high precision and zero backlash, ensuring accurate movement data for AI algorithms. Its highly transparent design makes it ideal for AI-driven automation solutions, delivering consistent performance data for machine learning analysis. This accuracy allows predictive maintenance algorithms to receive high-quality data, which helps in refining maintenance schedules and reducing downtime, thereby enhancing overall operational efficiency.
2 – Cobots Expanding to New Applications
While some see humanoid robots as the future of automation, others argue that cobots, which are already in use, will remain essential due to their accessibility for medium and small-sized businesses.
More Applications for Cobots:
The incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) and Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) analytic software enables mobile cobots to navigate and function effectively in unstructured settings, greatly simplifying the programming needed by manufacturers. Thanks to advancements in sensor technology, visual recognition, and intelligent gripping devices, cobots can now adapt to changes in their environment in real time. This adaptability makes them exceptionally well-suited for tasks that demand flexibility. Furthermore, the development of AI-driven interfaces allows for the use of voice commands, which substantially eases the challenges of usability and scalability in deploying cobots.
Cobots Are Getting Bigger:
A significant trend in automation is that cobots are getting bigger. This is good news for manufacturers looking to handle larger parts and achieve extended reach. However, it also raises concerns, as larger cobots can be more challenging to program and may pose greater risks to nearby human workers, increasing the demand for skilled robot programmers.
Mobile Manipulators and New Competitors:
New competitors are entering the market with a specific focus on collaborative robots. Mobile manipulators (MoMas), which combine collaborative robot arms and mobile robots (AMRs), offer new use cases that could significantly expand demand. By pairing the mobility of AMRs with the dexterity of cobot arms, mobile manipulators can handle a wide range of material handling tasks in manufacturing and logistics.
The Archimedes Drive and Its Impact on Cobots:
The Archimedes Drive significantly empowers the capabilities of collaborative robots (cobots) by providing high torque density and zero backlash, allowing for precise operations. Its backdrivability feature ensures safety in human-robot interactions, as it allows operators to manually adjust the robot’s position as needed. The compact design of the Archimedes Drive enables easy integration into various manufacturing environments, including those that involve complex tasks like welding and heavy lifting. This versatility allows cobots to handle a wider array of applications while ensuring the safety of human coworkers.
3 – Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) & Mobile manipulators (MoMas)
The market for mobile manipulators (MoMas) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.3% from 2022 to 2030, with even new version with two hands. This rapid growth is primarily driven by the various booming sectors requiring improving production output.
Sectors requesting mobile manipulators:
In the e-commerce sector, the rapid growth in online shopping has created a significant demand for efficient logistics and warehouse automation, where AMRs excel. The robots can handle material transport, order picking, and packaging with precision and speed, making them indispensable in large fulfilment centres.
Moreover, in manufacturing industries like automotive and aerospace, these robots are used for assembly, material handling, and quality inspection, improving efficiency, and reducing production costs.
The healthcare industry also sees increasing adoption of mobile robots. Hospitals and care facilities use AMRs for tasks such as medication delivery, patient assistance, and cleaning. This trend is expected to continue as the healthcare sector looks for innovative ways to enhance patient care and reduce the workload on medical staff.
A growing competitive market:
A variety of players are vying for a share of this rapidly expanding market. Specialized robotics companies that traditionally focused on specific robotic applications are diversifying their offerings to include MoMas and AMRs. At the same time, new entrants, including startups and tech firms, recognize the market’s potential and are developing innovative solutions. Market players are launching products with features like advanced navigation, AI-driven manipulation, and enhanced mobility to cater to the growing demand.
The addition of the Archimedes Drive:
The Archimedes Drive enables mobile manipulators to operate with high precision and dexterity. Its innovative design ensures smooth and accurate movements, enhancing the ability of mobile robots to navigate complex environments and handle intricate tasks. The drive’s high torque density allows it to support heavy payloads without compromising on speed or accuracy, making it a critical component in modern mobile manipulators.
4 – Digital Twins
Digital twin technology is becoming increasingly important in managing the growing number of robots in warehouses. As companies deploy hundreds of robots on their floors, organizing their behaviour and ensuring smooth operations becomes a challenge. That’s where digital twins come into play. A digital twin of a robot mimics its behaviour on a digital platform, offering a solution by creating virtual replicas that simulate the movements and functions of physical robots. This allows factories to assess how a new robot might operate in their workspace before actual deployment.
Virtual implementation:
Digital twins of robotic arms help accelerate risk assessment and reduce production times. They enable predictive maintenance and real-time remote monitoring by providing a wealth of real-time data that helps businesses make informed decisions about manufacturing adjustments. By creating a virtual replica of a physical system, companies can identify potential issues and optimize performance without the risks and costs of real-world experimentation. Because these twins exist purely as computer models, they can be stress-tested and modified without safety concerns or high costs. All experiments can be validated virtually before changes are implemented in the physical world.
Digital twins in manufacturing and logistics:
In manufacturing, digital twins can simulate entire production lines, allowing engineers to identify bottlenecks, optimize processes, and test new configurations without interrupting production. In logistics, digital twins can model warehouse layouts and predict the impact of changes in inventory levels or picking strategies. In robotics, digital twins can simulate the movement and behaviour of robots, ensuring accurate programming and reducing setup times.
Overall, digital twins provide a comprehensive platform for companies to optimize robotic and automated systems through virtual simulations, minimizing risks and costs associated with real-world experimentation. They improve predictive maintenance, production planning, and process optimization, making them essential tools in the era of Industry 4.0.
The addition of the Archimedes Drive:
The Archimedes Drive provides consistent and accurate movement data that can be fed into digital twins, ensuring high fidelity in virtual simulations. Its zero-backlash design and high precision make it ideal for integrating into robotic systems where precision is essential. By providing reliable data, the Archimedes Drive helps manufacturers create accurate digital twins, reducing risks and improving efficiency.
5 – Humanoid Robots
In the following years, humanoid robots might evolve into a significant presence in daily life, catering to various needs across different sectors. We can identify three main categories of humanoid robots:
Consumer Use: These robots find application in households, facing the challenge of human interaction, such as mimicking expressions and handling objects with dexterity akin to human hands. As the human world has been built around the use of soft, flesh-based hands, designing robotic hands capable of versatile manipulation poses a significant challenge.
Commercial Use: Specialized humanoid robots for warehouse operations encounter the necessity of handling heavy payloads safely. Balance, strength, and safety become paramount, especially as they work alongside human co-workers. Achieving seamless collaboration between humans and robots in commercial settings presents a key challenge.
Rescue and Specialized Environments: must adapt to various environments, and withstand extreme conditions like fires or storms. Flexibility, durability, and adaptability are crucial attributes for these robots. A significant hardware challenge in these operations lies in the actuators. While hydraulic actuators can provide the necessary strength for these demanding tasks, they often lack precision.
Humanoid robots and human interaction:
With advanced AI, robotics, and human-robot interaction (HRI), humanoid robots are now more intelligent, responsive, and versatile than ever before. Deep learning algorithms and natural language processing (NLP) enable them to understand and respond to human speech and emotions accurately. Enhanced computer vision allows them to recognize faces, objects, and gestures, while improved sensors and materials grant them greater dexterity and mobility.
Integration to working place
However, the rise of humanoid robots also presents ethical and safety challenges. Ensuring stability to prevent falls, especially around children, and addressing concerns about the noise generated by the robots’ operations, which can impact both safety and user acceptance, are critical considerations. Additionally, challenges such as torque density and precision remain areas of focus for further improvement.
The addition of the Archimedes Drive:
The Archimedes Drive is pivotal for advancing humanoid robots. Its compact, high-torque design enables fluid and efficient movement, crucial for tasks requiring human-like dexterity. This precision enhances robot performance, making tasks such as object manipulation and human interaction smoother and more accurate. Beyond performance, the Archimedes Drive enhances human health and safety by reducing operational noise and being backdrivable. This allows robots to collide with or be redirected by humans, fostering closer interaction without compromising safety, and promoting trust in shared workspaces.
