Coolest Robot in the World
Mr. Robot of “World of Warcraft” fame not only likes playing games, but likes helping humans play games better. Now Mr. Robot is helping manufacturers play better too with mobile robots.
A consortium of European airline manufacturers, including Airbus, are gearing up to use a variety of “mobile assistant robots” to help make airplanes more quickly and efficiently while relieving workers from stressful and monotonous duties such as inspection.
VALERI or Validation of Advanced, Collaborative Robotics for Industrial Applications, is dedicated to engineering autonomous mobile robots. KUKA Labroatories, a member of the consortium, says “a self-navigating, remote-controlled mobile lightweight robot” or “omniRob” will work along or in concert with humans. omniRob can perform a variety of tasks such as fetching trays of rubber plugs, setting them down on a workbench where a stationary robot picks them up and inserts them.
The mobile omniRob uses a sensor system and a variety of tools and manipulators to get jobs done. The system has a graphics-based programming interface that allows gripping applications, get and fetch services and an accurate repeating of a user demonstrated movement and trajectory tracing. Algorithms for the ominRob were developed by KUKA.
Mobile Aerospace Manufacturing Robots
Robots will move alongside an airplane’s components, performing a variety of tasks such as applying sealant to protect the plane from corrosion. There will still be plenty of engineers and technicians installing, drilling and testing.
Unfortunately, it may be a while before robots are able to provide co-workers with entertainment like the US television series “Robot Chicken.”
Related articles on IndustryTap:
- Ford’s Dearborn Truck Plant Is Changing the Automobile Industry One Aluminum F-150 at a Time
- RFID and Near Field Communications Help Advance Autonomous Robot Behavior
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References and related content:
- IEEE Xplore Abstract – Simultaneous map building and localization for an autonomous mobile robot
- Autonomous Mobile Robotics | ARC Advisory Group
- Design, Control, and Applications of Autonomous Mobile Robots – Springer
