Due to the need for manufacturing and logistics companies to meet consumer demands for greater choice and faster delivery against a backdrop of a shrinking labour pool, the world has seen a significant rise in mobile robots. They have become an efficient solution in addressing the employment crisis caused by the pandemic in manufacturing and warehouse facilities.
Mobile robots such as automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robot (AMRs) are increasingly being adopted for industrial applications, as companies look for ways to deploy their existing workforces more effectively and maximise the productivity and efficiency of their operations. By freeing human employees from repetitive and strenuous tasks that robots can easily perform, they can refocus their energy to contributing much-needed knowledge and ideas in other organisational roles.
With this in mind, Schaeffler’s SHARE programme has created innovative robotic solutions engineered to help maximise efficiency in commercial and industrial settings. For example, its award-winning Gravikart robotic push trolley for the manufacturing industry. The GraviKart features the ability to “listen” and “speak” to infuse functionality with intelligent social behaviours.
The Autonomous Mobile Robot solution reimagines traditional industrial manufacturing robots to support the factory floor workers with their tasks and increase productivity. Gravikart features intuitive user controls and feedback, an easy-to-use intelligent pushcart that addresses issues that include harsh pushing and pulling of goods, the presence of blind spots and difficulty navigating tight spaces.
Built with sensitive haptic and speech recognition technology, the GraviKart understands human gestures and provides visual cues through its built-in LED lights interactively to maximise efficiency and bring greater collaboration between robots and humans. The SHARE programme comprises a global research network with leading universities worldwide. Schaeffler has locations on the university campuses, enabling close cooperation between Schaeffler employees and scientists on strategically important future topics.
This partnership has not only led to the Schaeffler Gravikart robotic push trolley solution but to another ground-breaking mobile robot called the Duel Extendable (DEX), the Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR). Designed to reimagine the dexterity and intelligence of Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) platforms and their collaboration with shopfloor employees.
Featuring bi-directional leg extensions, WLAN and middleware integration, 2D/3D SLAM-based precise localisation and speech and gesture recognition capabilities; DEX serves as a research testbed to infuse functionality with intelligent social behaviours to support and boost productivity in industrial settings for a wide range of tasks.
Schaeffler is already researching and working on future technologies today as an innovation leader. Mr Boon, stated, “At Schaeffler, we see robotics as a prominent area of growth in supporting the needs of everyday living and in spearheading the industry 4.0 revolution. By combining our unique expertise in industrial components and systems engineering and cooperating with our educational partners in the region, we look to advance the development of intelligent solutions to pave the way for manufacturing industries for the future,”.