Monarch Tractor’s recent petition to Cal/OSHA may have been denied, but this outcome is not the setback many fear. CEO Praveen Penmetsa shares why.
5G / ML Robotics ‘Platforms’ Have Arrived, But Engineering Shortages Remain a Challenge
Technology providers such as Qualcomm are offering robotics development ‘platforms’ that incorporate ML and 5G enablers. But development platforms alone are not enough to drive robotics innovation forward, at least not until the supply robotics engineering talent exceeds demand.
Farming with Driverless Tractors… is it Possible?
Most industry experts agree that the technological capabilities for driverless tractors are there… and many farmers and technology providers believe it is more a matter of “when” than “if.”
Robots and International Economic Development
The next production revolution will be a boon for a global economy that is sputtering and experiencing lagging growth and investment. This new technology wave should lead to a virtuous cycle of increased investment, higher productivity, more spending, and more investment.
Start-Up Profile – HeroWear – Low-cost Exosuit Reduces Worker Back Strain
HeroWear’s back-assist Apex exosuit, which reduces back strain when objects are lifted, can be adjusted to fit workers of all sizes — both men and women. Imagine that.
Why AI is the Key to Better Robots and Happier Workers
Artificial intelligence (AI) can improve many operational aspects of AGVs and AMRs, and increase worker satisfaction. As such, AI must be a fundamental building block in robotics design and harnessed by management.
The Science of Labor Productivity – Labor Management Software Addresses Challenges, Reveals Opportunities, Drives Innovation
Distribution Centers are exploiting data and using Labor Management Software (LMS) to optimize processes, overcome labor challenges, and drive automation deployments, including robotics systems.
Picking Robots Address Agriculture’s Labor Shortage Challenge
Companies continue to come to market with robotics solutions that seek to remedy the agricultural sector’s ongoing labor shortage challenge, especially pronounced in advanced economies, as well as the need to pay a living wage to workers.
What Jobs Do Robots Create?
The jobs robots create demand a high skill level, so to build a sustainable workforce companies must develop a strategy for upskilling their current workers, and also have plans in place for training future employees.
Flexibility and Manufacturing Productivity: Part 1 – Inflexible Automation and its Consequences
When inflexible automation collides with manufacturing trends requiring more flexibility, productivity suffers. Why? Manufacturing as currently practiced — with poor human-machine collaboration — is not sufficiently responsive to the long-term trends of shorter product life cycles and increasing product diversity.
The Automation Imperative Accelerates
Increased automation—with its ability to significantly boost societal productivity—is needed to help modern nations address seemingly intractable challenges such as sluggish wage growth, aging populations, rising health care costs, environmental restorations, global competitiveness, and often-worrisome levels of public sector debt.
Study Finds Stronger Links Between Automation and Inequality
New research by MIT economist Daron Acemoglu shows that since 1987, automation has taken away jobs from lower-skill workers without being replaced by an equivalent number of labor-market opportunities.
How Meat Producers Can Improve Food Safety with Robotic Automation
Labor shortages and high levels of workplace injury and illness have always challenged the food manufacturing sector, especially meat producers. The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the situation. Robotics automation provides a solution.
Considerations When Working With Prototyping Outsourcers
Designers and engineers require prototypes to verify product design and manufacturability and engineering, before moving on to full production. But how can start-ups and smaller companies, who lack the high level of resources and expertise of larger firms, rapidly develop their prototypes? Outsourcing provides one solution.
Robots Help Some Firms, Even While Workers Across Industries Struggle
A new study co-authored by an MIT economist Daron Acemoglu shows firms that move quickly to use robots tend to add workers to their payroll, while industry job losses are more concentrated in firms that make this change more slowly.
How Many Jobs Do Robots Really Replace?
MIT economist Daron Acemoglu’s new research puts a number on the job costs of automation.
How to Train Employees to Work With Cobots Safely
Safety considerations and additional programming work can benefit workplaces utilizing collaborative robot technologies.
Survey: 75% of U.S. Workers Think Their Jobs are Safe from Automation
Impact of automation yet to be felt, and workers remain optimistic that it will help their future work.
How RealWear is Creating Synergy Between Humans and Machines
Wearable headset provides a conduit between robots, IoT equipment and AI data.
Things to Know This Week: Panda Bus, Football Robot, and Not Stealing Jobs
Get ready for the week in robotics by catching up on some news items from last week.
Robotics & Geopolitics: Automation Could Affect U.S. Jobs and Politics
U.S. jobs in some regions could be more vulnerable to displacement from automation than others, having a direct affect on elections. And the governments of Taiwan and Iran look to artificial intelligence for new applications.
Robotics & Geopolitics: Humans Still Fear That Robots Will Either Take Jobs or Kill People
This week saw continued fears from people over artificial intelligence being used to create autonomous weapons, or that robots may take jobs from lower-skilled workers.
Robotics & Geopolitics: AI Policy, Balancing Robots and Jobs a Global Challenge
AI policy isn’t just about chips; it also affects where driverless vehicles will go, global workforces, and manufacturing competitiveness.
Could Reshoring Restore American Jobs? A Quick Look at the Numbers
Major manufacturers have taken the lead in reshoring American jobs and adopting industrial automation, writes our guest columnist.
Fears of Robots Taking Jobs Require Response, Says LivePerson
A LivePerson survey found that many Americans are worried about robots taking jobs, but less about automation affecting their own work. What should government and business do in response?