The dual-arm, adaptable industrial robot by Seiko Epson, Japanese electronic company, reminds me of Sid, the sloth. Unlike the existing industrial bots, this prototype by Seiko Epson can visualize, take decisions, adapt as per the environment, can adjust the force while grabbing objects and above all, its portable.
This dual-arm bot is capable of moving independently while performing simple tasks on assembly lines.
As per the press release,
Epson’s autonomous dual-arm robot is able to accurately recognize the position and orientation of objects in three-dimensional space, much like the human eye. The two robot arms are equipped with newly developed force sensors that give the robot human-like control over the force exerted by the arms, enabling the robots to transport and assemble objects without damaging them. The robotic arms will come standard equipped with a multipurpose end effector that can grasp, clamp, and insert objects of various shapes and sizes. The robot can be made to perform a wide range of tasks simply by teaching it objects and task scenarios.
Epson created this bot as a solution to “manual labor due to the task difficulty or cost constraints”.
Seems like the dual arm bot is one of the hottest trends in industrial robotics. Although the price is still not disclosed but am sure it has already gained a foothold in ushering era of manufacturing automation.
