[Term of the Day]: Cobots

Term of the Day

“Cobots”

Definition — What are Cobots?

A collaborative robot, commonly known as a Cobot is any robot that has the capacity to learn how to perform specific functions in order to assist people in a variety of tasks. The objective of cobots is to enhance human-robot collaboration. Instead of replacing a person, a cobot can work together with humans, resulting in increased output and improved efficiency across the board. Since they operate next to people, they work at a more manageable speed and cobots are also designed to stop immediately when a person makes any contact with them. This allows them to operate safely around human operators.

Medical Cobots have been used in the medical fields steadily for the last few years. One of the most common you may have run across is a robot called a Da Vinci Robot. This robot is one that allows a surgeon to take their hand movements to smaller more precise tool movements. These robots are often in an operating room with people in the room as well. Sometimes it can be difficult to find workers to carry out certain jobs. In such cases, a cobot is also an ideal solution.

Examples of cobots:

The BMW Mini factory in the UK has been using a cobot to transform its riveting process. Earlier, the task was performed by workers entirely.

The DHL has started using cobots to assist in order fulfillment. The bots work alongside humans, helping to locate and collect items for shipment.

The Copenhagen University Hospital uses cobots to handle and sort blood samples for analysis, enabling the lab to deliver more than 90 percent of results within 1 hour.