The term ‘robot’ was first coined by Karel Capek in his 1920 play R.U.R., which talked about a dystopian future in which artificial, manufactured “roboti” boasted human-line qualities and operated as servants before launching a mass rebellion.
Of course, robotics and automation have gone on to have a huge impact on the workforce in the UK, creating new opportunities in some industries while placing an estimated 7.4% of jobs at risk in the UK (according to the NHS, at least).
In this post, we’ll talk about so-called “cobots”, while asking why they’re becoming increasingly popular in the UK?
What are Cobots?
The word ‘cobot’ is the shorthand version of ‘collaborative robots’, which are intended to operate in conjunction with humans to complete specific tasks (rather than operating as standalone entities).
In fact, cobots are intentionally and specifically built to physically interact with humans in a shared workspace, with the first examples of these entities first emerging as part of a university project back in the mid-1990s.
But what are the main advantages of cobots? To begin with, they’re incredibly easy to program and install, making them a far more time-effective method of introducing automation into your business or production line.
In total, you can program and install your cobot in little more than an hour, whereas it will potentially take weeks to launch a new and efficient robot.
Similarly, traditional robots tend to require a great deal of knowledge and time to program actions, which may surprise some given that they are only capable of completing one task at a time.
This also leads to another key benefit of cobots, as their utilization of user-friendly software and mobile applications mean that they can be used to learn a wider range of actions and tasks.
The Key Trends in Cobot Technology
Even on a fundamental level, the collaborative design of cobots makes them ideal for enhancing and optimizing the workplace, while empowering the individual productivity of employees.
We should also note how efficient gear motors and controllers are increasingly pivotal if users are to achieve the best results with regards to mobility and carbon footprint. This trend is particularly prevalent in the design of cobots, which are generally required to enable mobility and compactness.
As a result of this, cobots are increasingly driven by brushless DC motors, which can be bought easily through online suppliers such as Allied Electronics.
These controllers boast a higher power density even in small, compact, and lighter motors, even when compared to conventional DC designs and motor products.
