Robots for a Better World
In the last decade, our lives have changed a lot. Technology is advancing at an exponential rate. Internet, Machine Intelligence, superior hardware, etc have helped overcome several technological barriers. Especially, with all the above factors at play, robotics has reached unfathomable heights. In 2005, futurist Ray Kurzweil predicted that the future of technology would mainly consist of an overlapping "GNR Revolution" of genetics, nanotechnology, and robotics, with robotics being the most important of the three.
Boston Dynamics’ Atlas is the most dynamic humanoid robot. Atlas' advanced control system and state-of-the-art hardware give the robot the power and balance to demonstrate human-level agility. Atlas is capable of completing parkour courses and performing several other sophisticated manoeuvres. Atlas has got us awestruck by breaking barriers from time to time. Handle is another mobile robot that combines the rough-terrain capacity of legs with the efficiency of wheels. It is designed for material handling applications and features a manipulator arm capable of picking up heavy boxes. On the other hand, we have robots like the University of Tokyo’s Kengoro, Honda’s Asimo, are several other extremely capable humanoid robots each excelling in their ways and breaking the barriers of robotics.
Intuitive’s da Vinci is a surgical robot that was the first to be cleared by the FDA in 2000. While da Vinci has been improved since then, several other robotics surgical systems have emerged. PRECEYES surgical system for precision surgeries, CORPATH system that enables remote surgeries by doctors, Auris Health’s Monarch platform that incorporates flexible robotics, micro-instrumentation, data science, and other technologies for therapeutic and diagnostic bronchoscopic procedures, Mako Rio that is capable of knee surgeries and hip replacements, etc are several emerging surgical robotic technologies that will the change the days to come. Xenex has created a robot that disinfects using pulsed Xenon light and can disinfect an entire patient room in less than 20 minutes. Currently, more than 400 hospitals are working with Xenex. The global market for surgical robots stands at USD 5.5 billion as of 2018 and is rising continuously.
Endeavor Robotics’ PackBot is an agile, mobile robot used for bomb disposal, hazmat, search, reconnaissance, and other dangerous missions. It can climb stairs, drive through mud, and operate in all weather conditions. Packbots were the first robots to enter the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant after Japan’s devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2011. FIDO is a 3-pound sensor that can detect vapor from explosives at extremely low concentrations. It is used as a replacement for sniffer dogs.
Service robots are reducing costs in commercial applications such as delivery, cleaning, and security. Roomba is an autonomous robotic vacuum cleaner developed by iRobot. Roomba's sensors can detect the presence of obstacles, detect dirty spots on the floor, navigate the floor area of a home, and clean it. Moley robotics created an advanced, fully functional robot integrated into a beautifully designed, professional kitchen that can cook with the skill and flair of a master chef. BUDDY is a social robot that connects, protects, and interacts with each member of your family. BUDDY offers security, personal assistance, edutainment, elder care, and other such services. Robo Kitchen is a unique idea where restaurants are filled with service robots to entertain and attract customers. The Service robotics global market is projected to grow from USD 37.0 billion in 2020 to USD 102.5 billion by 2025.
As technology expands, robots will be a common occurrence, interacting with customers or dealing with dangerous tasks. They will continue to promote safety, efficiency, and productivity in workspaces. They are getting ready to take over an assortment of responsibilities outside of manufacturing.
An Article By: Design ‘n’ Build Team
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