Bin picking, i.e. robotic picking of objects with random poses from a bin, is one of the most common robotic tasks yet also one that poses some of the greatest technological challenges. A robot needs to be equipped with exceptional vision and robotic intelligence to be able to localize each part in a bin, navigate to it without colliding with its environment or other parts, then pick it, and safely place it to another location in an aligned position.There are two ways to mount a 3D vision system in the robotic cell, each having its advantages and each being more suitable for certain applications:A. Extrinsic calibrationB. Hand-eye calibration <h2>Extrinsic calibration</h2>Extrinsic calibration is used in setups where the scanner is mounted in a fixed, stationary position in the robotic cell, usually above the bin. The scanner must not be moved in relation to the robot after the system has been calibrated but it does not need to be stationary in relation to the robotic cell.&nbsp;Photoneo offers five models of the <a href="https://www.photoneo.com/phoxi-3d-scanner/" target="_blank">PhoXi 3D Scanner</a> (XS – XL), each providing a different scanning volume ranging from 16 centimeters up to 4 meters. As a rule of thumb, the more room is required for the bin picking application – including the space for robot movement, the size of the bin and parts, etc. – the larger model of the PhoXi 3D Scanner is required.Extrinsic calibration&nbsp;is done with any suitable ball&nbsp;attached to the endpoint of the robotic arm or to the gripper. The ball needs to be made of a material that is appropriate for scanning, that means smooth and not too reflective.<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1621588982478-Photoneo_Extrinsic+calibration.png" style="width: 700px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Extrinsic calibration: The 3D scanner is mounted in a stationary position.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><h2>Hand-eye picking</h2>Hand-eye calibration allows you to mount the 3D vision system directly onto the robotic arm. For a successful calibration, the scanner must be mounted behind the very last joint (e.g. on the gripper). Any changes made to the scanner’s position after the calibration renders the calibration matrix invalid and the whole calibration procedure must be carried out again. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hu9RHfuUwW0?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> Hand-eye calibration&nbsp;is done with a marker pattern – a flat sheet of paper (or another material) with a special pattern recognized by Photoneo PhoXi 3D scanners. <div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1621589161916-Photoneo_Hand-eye+calibration.png" style="width: 700px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Hand-eye calibration: The 3D scanner is mounted on the robotic arm.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><h3>Advantages of hand-eye picking</h3>Hand-eye picking offers a number of advantages over the traditional setup. If you have a large bin&nbsp;and a scanner mounted above it with a fixed viewpoint, you will not be able to scan the bin with a&nbsp;small scanner. If you mount a small scanner directly onto the robotic arm, you can come closer to the contents&nbsp;of the bin with the scanner and choose which part of the bin to scan.Another advantage of hand-eye bin picking comes in case you have two bins. One scanner mounted firmly in a fixed position will not be able to make scans of both bins – this would require two scanners at least. In contrast to this, a scanner mounted on the robotic arm will move from one bin to another&nbsp;and make scans of their contents from appropriate distance and angle. It is thus able to cover a larger area than extrinsic calibration.Hand-eye bin picking may also eliminate the need to darken the room where the robotic cell is placed. The ambient light coming from a window might pose serious challenges to the deployed 3D vision system and often requires special effort to darken the whole room. A scanner attached to the robot can make scans of a bin from one side first and then from another, minimizing the need to make any special adjustments to the environment.It can also happen that the 3D vision system itself casts shadows on the bin and inhibits a high-quality acquisition of the scene. This problem is usually solved by making a compromise and finding the most optimal position for the scanner in relation to the bin or by manually rearranging the parts within the bin so that the vision system captures them all in the end. Hand-eye bin picking eliminates this problem as it enables the scanner to “look” at the scene from any angle and from any position.Similarly, the hand-eye approach is an optimal solution for picking&nbsp;parts that are placed close to the walls of the bin. The walls – and even the parts themselves – may cast shadows and inhibit the recognition of the parts so mounting the vision system onto the robotic arm will allow you to approach and pick the parts from an appropriate angle.&nbsp;While hand-eye bin picking provides numerous advantages over extrinsic calibration, it is also fair to say that a scanner attached to the robotic arm may restrict the robot’s movements. Bearing this limitation in mind, it is advisable to choose a smaller scanner. In the case of Photoneo PhoXi 3D Scanner family, the appropriate models are XS, S, M, and L, covering a scanning range from 16 cm up to 2 m.Another important fact is that the robot needs to stay still during scan acquisition, which may prolong the cycle time. Therefore, the hand-eye approach is not suitable for time-critical applications.If you want to automate your application but are not sure what type of bin picking solution would be best suited for your project, <a href="https://www.photoneo.com/contact-us/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">contact Photoneo</a> and let’s discuss it. We will be happy to assist you.

There are two ways to mount a 3D vision system in the robotic cell, each having its advantages and each being more suitable for certain applications. However, there are many cases where hand-eye calibration surpasses the more traditional setup in a number of respects.

Hand-eye bin picking

Picking an electric drive for robotic applications is a delicate matter—and a real headache. Sometimes it’s easier to order a custom motor for your robot instead of buying a standard one.&nbsp;Of course, you can always obtain a conventional drive model from a well-known manufacturer and ask for modifications. However, here comes the downside: such changes are typically expensive, and you’ll probably have to wait longer for them to be made. For a hardware startup building a prototype, long delays can be a dealbreaker.&nbsp;Meanwhile, a custom electric motor can save you lots of your time, money, and nerves. What is more, a made-to-order engine is a better fit for an advanced product with peculiar dimensions and specifications. Such a solution may have extra protection to endure specific environmental hazards.However, when you have no clear picture of what you should get, ordering a custom motor may seem too complicated. To ease your worries, we at Rozum Robotics have come up with a list of recommendations to consider before filling out a custom motor request.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">What You Should Know About Custom Motor Specifications</h2> <div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjIwOTg0OTU1NDUwLUlNR180NzAyICgxKS5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">FMI Drive by Rozum Robotics&nbsp;If you want to get a custom electric motor, you’ll have to review some technical specifications for your product first.&nbsp;</div> Here's what we suggest paying attention to and put down in a checklist for a tailored drive (you may not know all of them, but that’s no problem—even identifying some of them can be of huge help):<ul><li dir="ltr">Power Supply</li></ul>Check out your power supply parameters first. Are we talking about single-phase electric power, three-phase one, or DC?<ul><li dir="ltr">Nominal Supply Voltage</li></ul>Do you know the intended nominal supply voltage of your system? If yes, inform the manufacturer about it.<ul><li dir="ltr">Overall Dimensions</li></ul>Before ordering a custom engine, you have to think about how it’s going to fit. Take all the necessary measurements, such as height, width, depth, and weight. If known, add to these parameters the diameter and length of the output shaft end.<ul><li dir="ltr">Housing</li></ul>There are at least three things to consider: the material of your application housing, the insulation class of your stator windings, and the Ingress Protection Rating of the electric motor you want to have. The rating is used to define the protection level against water and dust.<ul><li dir="ltr">Motor Characteristics</li></ul>One of the most important steps is to identify required motor ratings. To do so, answer the questions below:<ol><li dir="ltr">How should motor windings be connected?</li><li dir="ltr">What should the nominal and maximum engine torque be?</li><li dir="ltr">What should the nominal and maximum voltage be?</li><li dir="ltr">What should the nominal and maximum rotation speed be?</li><li dir="ltr">What should the nominal motor power be?</li><li dir="ltr">What should the rotor moment of inertia be?</li><li dir="ltr">What is your expected efficiency output?</li><li dir="ltr">What is your operation mode, S1, S3, or something else?</li></ol><ul><li dir="ltr">Environment</li></ul>The environmental impact determines the life cycle of a drive, so it’s crucial to have a clear understanding of the conditions your drive will operate under. Have you established the operating temperature range? What about humidity? Is the environment corrosive or explosive? All these things matter when developing a reliable custom motor.<ul><li dir="ltr">Control System</li></ul>When it comes to the control system, you need to take a closer look at your controller. Is it an in-house solution or a purchased product from a third-party provider? If yes, who is the manufacturer? What is the model of this controller? Do you need feedback control?&nbsp;Another important thing is to define the commutation type of the motor. Is it trapezoidal or sinusoidal?&nbsp;<ul><li dir="ltr">Temperature Sensors</li></ul>Do you require inbuilt sensors to detect temperature changes so that the motor can shut off power and prevent overheating from happening?<ul><li dir="ltr">Additional Requirements</li></ul>The needs of hardware startups vary. Your custom motor may need some additional features not mentioned in this article. If you’re pressed for time or on a shoestring budget, you may also want to include these facts in the list of demands.<h2 dir="ltr">What You Should Check About a Custom Motor Manufacturer</h2> <div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjIwOTg0ODExNjYxLUlNR180NzE5LmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">FMI Drives by Rozum RoboticsIt’s always challenging to find a credible custom motor manufacturer able to deliver engines on cue.</div>To avoid pitfalls, we recommend having a detailed conversation with a potential partner and focusing attention on the following points:<ol><li dir="ltr">Production: Make sure your partner has in-house production and doesn’t outsource projects to unknown third parties. Working with a direct manufacturer gives you more control over the process—and makes it transparent;</li><li dir="ltr">Expertise: It’s safer to order custom motors from a vendor who has a proven track record of successful products;</li><li dir="ltr">Pricing:&nbsp;Finding a producer with a reasonable price-quality ratio is an entire quest—we at Rozum Robotics went through this themselves when we were looking for a customized solution. Eventually, we decided to produce motors all by ourselves.&nbsp;</li></ol>Don’t hesitate to verify all the possible information about prospective suppliers—the precaution will save you from unnecessary trouble down the road.<h2 dir="ltr">The Bottom Line</h2>If you’re a startupper trying to take the world by storm, you know how important it is to get a personalized engine for a prototype. In this case, ordering a custom motor can provide you with many benefits since you’re getting a solution adapted for your application. Although it requires some preliminary fieldwork, such a step can help you get ahead of competitors and build something awesome along the way.&nbsp;

Ordering a custom one isn't a walk in the park—that's why it's better to follow a custom motor roadmap.

Thinking of Ordering a Custom Motor? Here's How to Do It Right

<h2 dir="ltr">What is a Cobot?</h2>Cobot is short for collaborative robot and they are designed to work directly with people within a shared space. In comparison to traditional industrial robots, cobots utilize force feedback to detect collisions to ensure that no humans collaborating with the robot get harmed because of a potential impact. They are often designed with rounded or soft features and can only be operated with lower speeds (unless they are behind fences) to prevent injuries to people.Cobots can complete high precision and heavy-duty tasks with minimal oversight. Their function is to complement human skills, not to be a replacement for human workers. Hence, intuitive low code programming opportunities are a vital component to achieve a high acceptance from the users. Cobots are smaller, lightweight, and significantly more affordable than earlier industrial robots. Working alongside humans, they increase productivity and help to create safer, more efficient workplaces.<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/industrie.40.deep.dive.part.1.introducing.smart.manufacturing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Industrie 4.0</a>, also known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, is the next movement in manufacturing. It’s the convergence of several technologies that combine continuous data gathering and artificial intelligence (AI) to be more agile, responsive, and customizable than traditional manufacturing. Collaborative robotics is an essential Industrie 4.0 technology. As Industrie 4.0 marches forward and AI continues to mature, more intelligent and capable cobots are on the verge of becoming ever-present. &nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">What is MAiRA?</h2>The Multi-sensing Intelligent Robotic Assistant <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/industrie.40.deep.dive.part.1.introducing.smart.manufacturing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">(MAiRA)</a> is the new cognitive cobot from German-based NEURA robotics. It delivers previously unseen features for cobots that will push them towards the goal of making them smarter, more user-friendly, and autonomous. moving them beyond industrial applications and into homes, healthcare, retail, and office spaces.&nbsp;<h3 dir="ltr">Safety enables close working conditions</h3>MAiRA is equipped with an integrated proprietary sensor system that enables “Touchless Safe Human Detection.” The sensors can detect and distinguish people from other objects within a 3 meter range and provide instructions to the robot to change direction, slow down or stop. The sensor system provides a secure and robust 360° view and doesn’t struggle with problems like occlusion, dirt, or bad lighting conditions.&nbsp;This makes human collaboration with MAiRA much easier, safer, and more intuitive. While not having the safety fences of traditional industrial robots, cobots still must operate under complex safety rules and regulations that reduce the danger of harm for collaborative tasks.&nbsp;MAiRA’s extensive safety features based on the safe human detection feature allow a much closer physical interaction without the normally required risk assessment. The impact of this type of sensor in collaborative robotics is not to be underestimated. Current regulations are prohibitively restrictive and compulsory for most international markets. Any change to the operating environment, the cobot’s gripper, or other components affects the risk assessment of the robot. MAiRA's advanced system enables it to be employed more quickly and easily through a variety of settings.<h3 dir="ltr">Intuitive interaction and contextual awareness</h3>MAiRA is also equipped with advanced speech recognition enabling her collaborators to interact and give commands using voice. &nbsp;It also enables the cobot to recognize and track people using their voice or other sounds. Voice commands are a critical aspect of future cobots and other assistive technologies. Voice is perhaps our most intuitive method of communication and something that we constantly utilize when working in partnerships. MAiRA’s voice capabilities elevate its usefulness in industrial and healthcare settings where a person’s hands are likely to be already engaged in another activity. Voice is also a huge benefit when thinking about the role of cobots in personal healthcare; users with limited mobility can interact and command MAiRA without moving.&nbsp;<h3 dir="ltr">Giving cobots cognition</h3>In addition to its voice capabilities, MAiRA is powered by an Intelligent Cognitive Robot Controller, called NEURON. This modular system enables MAiRA to understand her environment even when there are minute changes and adjust her own tasks or movements to be able to continue to operate at the highest productivity. &nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">MAiRA In-Depth</h2>The MAiRA Pro M has a reach of 1,400mm, repeatability of 10µm, and a dynamic payload of up to 12-15kg. Repeatability in cobots is its ability to achieve repetition of the same task. MAiRA’s NEURA encoders have a resolution of &nbsp;24 bits. This coupled with high precision NEURA motors allows for 0.1mm absolute accuracy and 0.2mm path accuracy. Path accuracy is the difference between the robot's actually traveled trajectory and its precalculated trajectory. MAiRA’s high accuracy and repeatability mean the cobot is extremely good at hitting its target and doing it repeatedly. This opens up many use cases to MAiRA which can not be performed with other cobots. <div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjE5NzcxNzMyNjY3LU1BaVJBX2Z1bGxfYm9keTAwMV9zaGFkb3cuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="MAiRA, a white collaborative robot arm with blue light sensors. ">MAiRA Pro M. Image credit: NEURA RoboticsThe MAiRA cobot can be further customized with a suite of perception sensors depending on the client’s needs. These advanced sensors consist of a 3D RGB-D camera, six degrees of freedom (6-DOF) Force/Torque sensor, Smart Sensitive 6-DOF Sensor Skin for guidance by touch, 3D Voice Recognition Sensor, and Touchless Safe Human Detection. All of these sensors contribute to the cobot’s ability to map out its environment and react to it. This leads to a cobot that can avoid dangerous interactions with humans and perform dull, dirty, and dangerous jobs without excessive human intervention which opens up the workers to pursue more creative tasks.<h3 class="fr-img-space-wrap2">Drag and drop programming</h3></div>MAiRA comes equipped with an Intelligent UX Control Tablet called PERSPECTiVE, with a 10.1” touchscreen, running on the NEURON OS operating system. PERSPECTiVE also features a dead-man switch and an emergency button for an additional level of safety. The app-based interface is intuitive and requires no coding. Commands are drag and drop. This makes MAiRA more accessible to a wide range of users as it requires less training to operate than traditional cobots. And for more control, advanced users can program the robot in Python.<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SjXnbXa2FFY??list=PLCIuXnSQHFF64X98DDSUxEKPsuMlCKSv5&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" style="width: 788px; height: 437px;"></iframe>Advanced AI, easy programmability, capacitive and voice sensors for guidance, combined with the 360° sensor makes MAiRA easy to use and safe. Essentially, this would allow anyone to operate MAiRA with limited training. Interactions with the robot are intuitive, so that it becomes more of a helper, and not a machine meant to replace workers. Exactly how cobots and other automation tools will replace or augment human workers is a critical topic to consider. MAiRA’s intuitive programming ability means almost anyone can learn the skills and tools required to play a role in the maintenance and operation of the cobot.&nbsp;<h3 dir="ltr">Where Will MAiRA Work?</h3>Of course, MAiRA is perfectly capable of working on the factory floor. Its high accuracy and repeatability make it ideal for pick and place. For example, it can be trained with a step-by-step wizard to recognize and identify objects and it learns with every training session to grasp different objects independently.MAiRA can get moving when paired with the Multisensing Autonomous Vehicle (MAV), an Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) that is also designed to collaborate with humans. MAiRA, can be mounted onto the MAV robot to become a mobile manipulator. This opens up a wide range of applications for these cobots. Combined with MAV, MAiRA can organize the warehouse or stock the shelves of a supermarket.Its advanced AI and sensing capabilities help MAiRA work in challenging environments, and its ability to interact with people safely makes it a perfect robotic assistant for surgical and medical screening, and for use in dentistry. This frees up healthcare workers from doing mundane, routine tasks. Their skills and highly valuable time can be spent on more pressing matters. As we have an aging population and not nearly enough caregivers, MAiRA will be invaluable for eldercare.&nbsp;<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjE5NzcxODU1NzgwLWRlbnRpc3QuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="A robot places a dentistry tool inside a patients mouth. ">Intelligent robots can assist with surgery and dental procedures. Image credit: NEURA Robotics.<h2 class="fr-img-space-wrap2">Looking Forward</h2></div>MAiRA brings cobots one step closer to full automation but is designed to work with people, not to replace them. Future versions of MAiRA will bring more capabilities to the cobot. Next year there are several new iterations of the cobot and its kin. A double arm version of MAiRA enhances its utility.A smaller version, the MAiRA Jr., is planned for the education sector and a more compact and agile MAV Jr. is in the works. Designed for smaller payloads, it could be paired with MAiRA to make an even friendlier, more useful assistant for all aspects of our lives. There is a real need for small, affordable, and lightweight cobots in these difficult times. Imagine a fleet of cobots preparing or even administering COVID vaccines. That would certainly help speed up the process of getting to herd immunity.Cobots have the potential to change our lives for the better by speeding up production safely and providing assistance in a wide range of applications. Intuitive controls, multi-sensing, and a powerful, teachable AI, makes MAiRA a better cobot. Enhanced safety features and the ability to safely interact with humans, allow this cognitive cobot to move beyond the limits of industrial settings. MAiRA can safely operate in offices, classrooms, and even in our homes. Soon, cobots like this will be ubiquitous enabling a new era of collaboration.

MAiRA robot in a medical setting. Image credit: Neura Robotics. 

Advanced sensors and sophisticated AI power intuitive robotic assistant.

MAiRA Smart Cobot Promises Next-Level Cognition and Interaction

There is a growing trend of using robots to do the tasks that could harm humans. Here are six fascinating examples.<h2>1. Firefighters Depend on Robots to Assess Burning Buildings</h2>Smoke and flames can make it nearly impossible for even the most experienced firefighters to navigate once they&rsquo;re inside a building that&rsquo;s on fire. However, there&rsquo;s a recent development called the SmokeBot that crews can <a href="https://www.maketecheasier.com/smokebot-robot-fight-fires-firefighters/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">send into flaming structures</a> to monitor the progression of fires and the damage caused.Something that sets the SmokeBot apart from other fire-ready robots is that it creates interior maps firefighters can use later to find their way around the building. It accomplishes this map-making feat with a combination of attachments including a thermal camera and gas sensors.The U.S. Navy also has a firefighting robot that extinguishes flames on ships. That piece of equipment has arms that can open doors or use hoses to help fight and control the fire.Robots don&rsquo;t necessarily remove humans from the equation, but they can let firefighters know in greater detail what to expect. Then, it&rsquo;s easier for those professionals to prepare or call for more assistance when needed.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1574191863839-5b28e74785ba9.jpg">SmokeBot &ndash; a robot serving rescue units<h2>2. A Cow-Herding Robot Keeps Farm Workers Safer</h2>Cows are generally docile, but when farmers deal with thousands of them at once while herding them to various areas of a farm, it&rsquo;s not hard to imagine how things could go wrong.<a href="https://www.cargill.com/story/meet-the-cowboy-robot-thats-making-cattle-herding-safer" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Cargill recently unveiled</a> a &ldquo;robotic cowboy&rdquo; on wheels that waves plastic bags on its limbs to compel the cows to move. Humans control the robot with remotes as they stand on catwalks, but they can do so at a distance that keeps them more protected if issues arise.Cargill associates asserted that it&rsquo;s highly preferable to replace a piece of equipment if accidents happen instead of putting people in harm&rsquo;s way. The use of a robot to work with cattle makes a dangerous but necessary job safer.<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Aehth3w9h04?&feature=emb_title&wmode=opaque" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" style="width: 1114px; height: 615px;"></iframe> 3. Robots Clean Up Nuclear SitesThe nuclear energy industry is full of dangers for humans, but it&rsquo;s frequently looking for ways to expose robots to the potential harm instead.Sellafield is a nuclear power plant in England that handles nuclear fuel reprocessing and nuclear decommissioning. There&rsquo;s one hot-spot known locally as &ldquo;D-Bay&rdquo; that started acting as a radioactive sludge depository in the 1970s. The sludge is a byproduct of decaying nuclear fuel and other debris &mdash; and Sellafield has the equivalent of <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/robots-tackle-sellafields-notorious-radioactive-hot-spot" rel="noopener" target="_blank">35 concrete mixer trucks&rsquo;</a> worth of it.After a decade of planning, officials at Sellafield and their partners were ready to start using robots that sucked up the dangerous material with arms mounted on overhead cranes. Another tool can attach to a crane and chop large pieces of debris into smaller chunks. Operators stay shielded behind a wall while manoeuvring the robots.The Shadow Robot Company also have a <a href="https://www.shadowrobot.com/wp-content/uploads/Introducing-the-Shadow-Telehand.pdf" rel="noopener" target="_blank">custom-made teleoperation product</a> which uses innovative technology to help transform work within radioactive environments via remote handling in alpha glove boxes. Their robot hand means operators can remotely handle materials in a glove box from afar at no risk to their well-being. They can even operate the Hand in their shirt sleeves at an office desk with full control over the robot&rsquo;s movements back at the cell.Robots are also <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/fukushima-robot-cleanup/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">helping with the cleanup process</a> at Fukushima, a nuclear plant in Japan that got devastated by an earthquake and tsunamis in 2011. One robot called the Sunfish helped find missing fuel inside a radioactive containment vessel. Several other robots couldn&rsquo;t handle the radiation, but the Sunfish is helping engineers learn how to build other robots to assist in dealing with the aftermath.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1574191702468-ezgif-6-e37770a42569.gif">Credit: Shadow Robot Company, internal demo of our teleoperation product <h2>4. Decreasing Welding Dangers With Specialized Robots</h2>Welding requires professionals to work with extremely hot temperatures and carry out precise tasks during their shifts. But statistics indicate that robotic welding makes up <a href="https://www.fairlawntool.com/blog/complete-guide-robotic-welding/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">29 percent of welding applications</a>. Spot welding is currently the most common use, but arc welding is catching up in popularity.Arc welding is a particularly good fit for robotics when it comes to safety. That&rsquo;s because it involves both chemical reactions and hot temperatures, both of which could be dangerous to humans.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1574191978370-wel.gif" style="width: 1042px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Besides, welding exposes humans to hazardous fumes. It can also cause a condition from ultraviolet light called ultraviolet keratitis. When operating welding robots, humans stay behind safety fences or interlocking doors. However, they&rsquo;re still needed during the process to inspect the robot&rsquo;s work and ensure the equipment works as expected.Many people nervously anticipate robots taking over their jobs. But this is an example of how robots could supplement our roles by making them less dangerous than before.<h2>5. Rescuing Victims of Snow-Related Disasters With Robots</h2>Snowfall is a common occurrence that can turn deadly &mdash; especially when avalanches happen. Researchers have spent years investigating ways to use robots for snow rescues, and they&rsquo;re coming up with continually improved methods.At the University of Bologna, <a href="https://www.unibo.it/en/notice-board/from-sherpa-to-airborne-the-new-generation-of-mountain-rescue-robot-drones" rel="noopener" target="_blank">a project is underway</a> to enhance robot-facilitated emergency assistance for victims trapped by snow. One method uses drones and radar to find people in distress. The team working on this initiative believes the results will save more lives and better equip rescuers to find people faster than they otherwise might.<h2>6. Relying on Robots for Pipeline and Fuel Tank Inspections</h2>Pipeline inspectors are instrumental in preventing oil spills, and they cope with claustrophobic environments and other job-related risks. But research indicates that even when pipeline checks happen, those assessments often fail to detect issues. In other cases, <a href="https://www.climatechangenews.com/2018/08/07/oil-pipeline-inspection-industry-going-wrong-surveys-fail-prevent-spills/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">problems do not get accurately reported</a>. These shortcomings have given rise to calls for improvements in pipeline inspection methodology and technology.Previous methods to inspect pipelines included sending pressurised water inside to test their strength or digging into the ground to carry out spot tests. But beginning a few years ago, a company called Diakont emerged as one of the first to <a href="https://phys.org/news/2017-06-robots-oil.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">send robots inside pipelines</a> to have a look.The two arms on the robots have ultrasonic sensors that measure the circumference of a pipeline and assess structural integrity. Diakont also developed a robot for fuel storage tanks that keeps operators away from the volatile environment caused by the presence of flammable material. This robot doesn&rsquo;t require draining the containers first, and that advantage prevents up to two months of downtime where the tank remains out of operation while removing the fuel.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1574191609887-Diakont-Robot.jpg">Credit: CNBC.com, Diakont RobotIf you have questions, or feedback, feel free to leave them below in the comments.<hr><h2>Sponsored content</h2>This article was created in partnership with the Shadow Robot Company. If you are interested in sharing sponsored content on the Wevolver platform email us at richard [at] wevolver.com. Wevolver reaches more than 6 million young, professional engineers and engineering students every month. To learn more visit our &quot;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/marketing-solutions" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Marketing Solutions</a>&quot; page.

The world is full of life-threatening jobs. There was a time when humans merely gritted their teeth, accepted the risk and trusted that the training they received would protect them from harm. However, there is a growing trend of using robots to do the tasks that could harm humans.

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