移动革命——移动如何重塑机器人技术

EXECUTIVESUMMARYRobotmobilityisagame-changingsetoftechnologiesthatareenablingnewindustrybusinessmodels,improvingefficiencyandsustainability,andmakingworksaferandmorerewardinginawiderangeofindustrysectors.Rapidadvancesinhardwareandsoftwareareleadingtoaboominmobilerobotsinanumberofindustrysectors.TherearerapiddevelopmentsinAutonomousMobileRobots(AMRs),whichareabletonavigateandperformotherfunctionsautonomously.AMRsmayconsistofamobilebase;amobilebasewitharobotarmor;acompletemobileapplicationwithatailoreduserinterface.AMRsarechanginghowworkisdoneinavarietyofkeyindustrysectors.ThispaperfocussesontheprimaryusecasesforAMRsinmanufacturing,logistics,healthcare,retail,andpublicenvironments.?AMRshelpmanufacturersinhigh-mix/lowvolumeenvironmentstorapidlyadjustproductiontomeetdemand.AMRsareenablingnewbusinessmodelsaimedatsupportingflexibleproduction.Theyalsoprovidedatathatcanbeusedforperformanceimprovementofindividualprocessesandtoestablishareal-timeoverviewofproduction.?ThereisaboomingmarketforAMRsinlogistics,wheretheyareusedfortransportinggoodsthroughoutawarehouse.TherearedevelopmentsinhardwareandsoftwaretoenableAMRstoidentifyandcorrectlyhandlenon-standardshapes.Therearealsoanumberofstart-upsin‘lastmile’deliverytotherecipient’sdoor.?AMRsareusedinhealthcarefortransportinglinens,materialsandmedicationsinhospitalsandcarefacilities;cleaninganddisinfection;anddispensingofmedication.Therearesignificantdevelopmentsinassistantrobotsforhealthcareworkers.?AMRsareusedinretailinorderfulfilment,stocktakingandcustomerservice.Therearedevelopmentsinrobotpicking-for-orderfulfilment.?AMRshaveanincreasinglywideapplicationinpublicenvironmentssuchasairports,hotelsandshoppingmalls.Applicationsinclude:informationrobots;delivery–suchashotelroomservice;cleaninganddisinfectionand;security.AMRsfrequentlyactasthe‘glue’thatlinksotherwisedisconnectedpartsofanoverallprocess,generatingdatathatcanbeusedtogainareal-timeoverviewofperformanceacrosstheentireprocess.Thebenefitsarelesswasteinfactories,increasedefficiencyinfactoriesandwarehouses,andbetterqualityandsafetyinproductionandhealthcare.AMRsareenablingnewbusinessmodelsinmanufacturingandlogisticsthathelpcompaniestoremaincompetitiveinanenvironmentoflow-volume,highmixproduction.AMRsimprovework–takingondangerous,unergonomicandtedioustasks–andmakeourdailylivesbetterinmanyways,fromimprovedhealthcaretobetterproductavailability.Developmentsinhardwareandsoftwareareenablingrapidadvancesinautonomy,navigation,visionandsensing,fleetmanagement,interoperability,edge/cloudcomputingmodelsandlocomotion.Lightermaterials,robotskins,grippersandwheelsaremakingrobotslighterandmoreagile–reducingcostsandincreasingfunctionality.Developmentsinmobilerobotsareproceedingatafastpace.Onereasonisthatthesetechnologyadvancesareapplicableinmanydifferentindustrysectors–soasolutionforanapplicationinonesectorcanbequicklyadaptedtoanother.Developersareturningtheirsightstoassistivesystemsthathelpsetupandmanageprocessesincludingtheintegrationofmobilerobotsinautomationsystems,androbotprogramming.Thisreducestheoverallcostofimplementingandrunningrobots,whichwillspuradoption.Finally,newleasingmodelsgivecompaniesgreaterflexibilityinthefinancialplanningofautomation.