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Industrial robots are typically large, expensive, and hard to integrate into existing manufacturing processes. They are also difficult to reprogram when production line process changes are needed, and too dangerous to position near human workers. This barrier to entry has kept many smaller companies robot-free – at a time when automation, more than ever, could boost productivity and improve labor shortages.
Reimagining the Industrial Robot
At Silicon Biology®, we study how people work at an industrial task, and then try to create robots that could mimic that approach. Instead of a single, powerful robot arm with multiple degrees of freedom, our design uses human-like arms with almost the same extension as a small-sized person, and dexterity that matches how human joints move.
Designed to Work Alongside People
Our modular system is made completely from off-the-shelf parts. Its lightweight and compact design clamps to a workbench, and is easily moved to new stations and reprogrammed when a production line process changes.
To make it even safer, soft pads and sensors cover its body, and its motors have restricted drive power and software-based collision detection to prevent damage during accidental encounters. It is smooth, with internally routed cables, so it's easy to keep clean, and few "pinch points" which can trap a curious human digit.
What Can It Do?
We built several prototypes for pilot applications with 7-axis arms, each with a servo gripper for small-part handling. One scenario brings more automation to the fast-paced, and mostly human-powered, assembly lines found in the electronics industry.
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