Guest post written by Laura Simpson from Robotic Industries Association.
Collaborative robots are the hottest topic in robotics today, but there are many questions surrounding this new technology. To help answer these questions, the Robotic Industries Association (RIA) is hosting the International Collaborative Robots Workshop on Tuesday, September 30 at the San Jose Convention Center in San Jose, California. Attendees will hear the world’s top robotics experts answer these questions:
What is a collaborative robot? The workshop will kick off with an overview of collaborative robots presented by Erik Nieves from Yaskawa Motoman. Erik is a passionate speaker who will define collaborative robots and explain their implications in the robotics industry.
Who makes collaborative robots? Hear Rethink Robotics Founder, Chairman and CTO Rod Brooks talk about the development of their collaborative robot, Baxter, and its future. The CTO of Universal Robots, Ebsen Østergaard, will introduce their robotic arms that have revolutionized the market. Finally, there will also be speakers from other industrial robotics companies such as KUKA, Adept, ABB and Yaskawa Motoman talking about and showing their collaborative robots.
Are collaborative robots safe? Safety is certainly a paramount concern in the robotics industry, as both suppliers and integrators alike work diligently to help ensure that users are safe. You’ll hear from Pat Davison, RIA’s Director of Standards Development and Björn Matthias from ABB’s corporate research group on safety considerations and an update on collaborative robot safety standardization.
Do people today use collaborative robots? Yes, and there will be a panel of users from a wide range of companies (including BMW, Jabil, Novartis Foundation and General Motors) discussing their current collaborative robot applications, along with their future needs and plans. You’ll also hear from Sam Bouchard from Robotiq, presenting on advances in gripping technology which has allowed robotics to be used in different applications and industries which weren’t possible before.
I see collaborative robot uses in manufacturing, but what about other uses? One of the most anticipated talks at the workshop will be from Steve Cousins, CEO of Savioke. The company recently introduced SaviOne, a revolutionary delivery robot for the services industry. Cousins believes the personal robotics industry has the potential to change the world the way the PC industry did 30 years ago.
What is the future of collaborative robots? The perfect speaker to help answer that question is Rich Mahoney, Director of the Robotics program at SRI International. Rich leads a team at SRI working on cutting-edge robotics projects and will speak on the future of collaborative robots as he sees it.
Can I see these robots in action? Yes, as part of the workshop there will be an exhibits area of collaborative robots and related technologies, allowing attendees a hands-on experience with leading robotic products. The exhibition space will be open during breakfast, lunch and an evening networking reception.
Don’t miss this event! Join representatives from diverse companies such as Google, Tesla, Apple, Whirlpool, Chrysler, Motorola, Procter & Gamble, and General Electric who have already registered to attend. See you on September 30th in Silicon Valley, one of the world’s hotbeds for robotics research and start-up companies.
The Silicon Valley Robotics group is an association sponsor of this event. Registration for RIA and Silicon Valley Robotics members is $645 ($695 for non-members). For complete details and registration information, visit the event website or call RIA Headquarters at 734/994-6088.
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