The feature on robotics in this issue covers a variety of aspects, including two different lines of thinking. One, the more classic approach, is that of a robot working cooperatively with a human handler to accomplish a task that could not be achieved, or is considered too dangerous, for the human to accomplish alone. Sending remote control instructions from a ground station to a mobile rover collecting samples on the surface of Mars is a good example. The second, and more futuristic approach, is the use of ‘swarms’ of autonomous robots working together collaboratively to accomplish said specific task without the need of a guiding human hand.
Advances in sensor, communication, networking and artificial intelligence have provided a platform for making autonomous robotic systems more powerful and cheaper to produce than before. However, there are still a number of problems to overcome and that is the subject of our feature article this month on the topic of intelligent vehicles. Andrew Ashton writes about developments in autonomous vehicles in defence applications and the ways in which future generations of UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), UGVs (unmanned ground vehicles) and UUVs (unmanned underwater vehicles) could collaborate using their onboard computers to help each other overcome their individual limitations. In a nutshell it is an extension of the crowd-sourcing idea, in which each robot in the swarm shares its experiential knowledge in order that the group may build up a more accurate image of a possible hostile target, or find its way more quickly through a building as part of a search and rescue mission.
A more traditional application, this time of a robot following the instructions of its human handlers, is the United States Bowling Congress’ high-performance bowling robot EARL (enhanced automated robot launcher). Developed by US specialists ARM Automation using the Beckhoff EtherCAT platform, EARL is designed to simulate player behaviour in order to test new products and materials before they are introduced into the sport. Articles about Festo’s new Tripod robot that allows easy set-up for process variation and BMG’s automatic guided carts for materials handling applications also appear in the feature.
Collaborative marketing
In this month’s cover story, Siemens reveals its new innovation in collaborative value added service. The company plans to extend the totally integrated automation concept by combining Smart technical solutions with Service Level Agreements to form a more complete industry offering. The idea depends on the formation of dedicated teams by vertical industry segment which combine the process expertise of the experienced plant engineer with the customer know-how of the experienced sales professional, to help each other, and the customer, build a more complete image of modern market requirements. The plan is to address the value proposition, and, by working closely with end users, define the Smart technical solutions that need to be engineered to free up scarce operational personnel to concentrate on overall production efficiency.
These solutions will be supported by Service Level Agreements tailored to provide the optimum level of after-sales support. The benefit to clients is a holistic and complete automation solution that delivers manufacturing performance and substantial increases in profitability through cooperation over the entire life cycle of the facility.
Steven Meyer
Editor: SA Instrumentation & Control
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