Feature: Robotics
Robotics technologies are here to stay By Stewart Goulding, Managing Director, Electro Mechanical Systems
F
rom recreational robots such as drones, to critical operational robots in the medical field, robotic technology is changing daily tasks and lives.
Robots are everywhere – from
robotic hands and arms in industrial settings, to companion robots, robots in surgical operating theaters, and even as biomorphic drones that mimic nature.
Cobots in the workplace Since arriving on the scene some ten years ago, cobots – or collaborative robots – have taken the market by storm. They offer many opportunities for production lines, particularly when it comes to cooperating with people, ultimately complementing each other’s work, safely. In fact, cobots can replace human input on production lines by up to 50%. The new trend for this type robots
makes these machines more accessible, with more cost-effective options now allowing for greater distribution and adoption. With the current skills gap costing UK organisations £6.3bn over the past year, integrated cobots and
other robotic systems have the potential to positively impact the economy.
Medical robots In recent years, a significant focus has been placed on revolutionising non-invasive and minimally-invasive surgery, with many new surgical robots becoming market-ready. Due to more accurate diagnostic
methods, the number of non-invasive and minimally-invasive surgeries has skyrocketed. This puts increasing strain, both physically and organisationally, on surgeons who perform these procedures. Robot alternatives, therefore, offer an advantage to the public health. This requires the robots to be accurate and reliable, to ensure they can alleviate the strain on the medical system. For example, endoscopy, useful for minimally-invasive surgery, is one procedure that robots support. Endoscopic robots must be compact
and consistently precise. For this reason, when French company EndoControl was developing its new endoscopy ViKY system, it chose a range of FAULHABER brushless DC motors to achieve the required precision and consistency.
40 September/October 2020
www.electronicsworld.co.uk
With a complementary gearhead fitted, these motors have a broad selection of reduction ratios, ranging from approximately 3:1 to 1500:1, allowing extensive adjustment of device speed and torque. These developments are crucial in
ensuring that medical facilities cope well with the rising number of surgeries, all whilst reducing surgeon fatigue, preserving their wellbeing and avoiding burnout.
Robotics in agriculture A recent market research study reports that the demand for agricultural robots will see an increase of 24.1% by 2024. It is no wonder that more agricultural robotic applications are emerging, including biomorphic drones that model the behaviour of bees, which were demonstrated at UK-RAS. Robots and drones could have a big
effect on the effectiveness of farming. From drones that monitor and analyse crops, to automated tractors that seed, fertilise and harvest, agricultural robot developments allow human labour to be channelled to more complex tasks. In fact, some rural farms in China are
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