The conversation on robotics and automation has come a long way since it started, and every day it takes a new turn.
It cannot be denied the tremendous contribution that automation has made to making life easier for humans, even with things considered to be simple.
From your thermostat, facial phone recognition to even your email, there’s a lot that automation does for humankind.
It is predicted that even more advancement should be expected in the years to come and there are some industries that’ll see early or much more transformation than others due to their importance to human existence.
However, no matter the field, robotics can help to improve the operations, and at some point, companies will have to adapt. With that said, let’s take a look at some industries expected to thrive with robotics.
Health and medicine
Health is one of the major concerns of the human species, and there are always ongoing studies on how procedures can be easier and faster. Accuracy is also another factor that influences the need for advancement in this industry.
The fact is that the healthcare industry is rapidly evolving when it comes to innovation and technology, and it’s not slowing down. One area that has seen some of the significant advancement is surgery, where automation is used to perform procedures with much more precision.
There’s also the advantage of minimal incisions and risks in general. Even with simple tasks like transporting medication and supplies, automation and robotics come in handy. Many companies have come out to produce these life-changing equipment, and there are more on the way.
The medical robotics market is, therefore, expected to experience some more growth in the years to come.
Law enforcement
Apart from health, security is another need that drives human beings to take certain actions. And so far it seems the movies are not exaggerating how robots can be used to enforce the law. They are not so popular in real life, but minor preparations are underway to see how best to employ this technology.
So far, robots are used for functions like mine clearance, explosive ordnance disposal, search and rescue, combat support, intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance. They are also used by other emergency services like fire fighting and neighborhood watch duties.
These are some of the less deadly functions they have, and there’s more to explore regarding how far they can go. About 201 of them were transferred to the local law enforcement agencies from the military in the first part of 2016. This shows that it won’t be far fetched to expect them to become a part of our everyday lives.
Again many companies create robots of all sizes and shapes to either be controlled remotely or autonomous. Also, due to the war against terrorism, the market is expected to increase in value.
Agriculture & food service
With the constant increase in population and a quest to end world hunger, it is no surprise that there’s a lot of effort going into how to achieve that. There already are innovative devices that make farming more comfortable, but there is also more room for improvement in the sector.
The ones to come are expected to draw more on artificial intelligence, low-cost sensors, and big data to offer better and more accurate outcomes. The robots will perform functions such as weeding, planting, watering, fertilizing, milking, and transporting products. With improvement will also come near-to-full autonomy and less cost.
This advancement will hopefully reduce how much labor goes into the farming process while increasing the return or profit. Also, it will allow for production to expand, to meet the demands. Apart from the regular operation of getting raw materials, robotics is also used in the processing aspect of food.
Restaurants, for example, are looking to change the scene with a state of the art technology that performs functions like spreading dough and adding toppings. So far the technology is mainly used in processing orders with minimal error.
Transportation
With the onset of the “flying cars”, and self-driving automobile, it would seem like the transportation industry is way ahead when it comes to the use of automation and robotics. Artificial intelligence in this sector keeps evolving and indeed improving at a very fast rate.
Even with design and testing, technology is used to detect faults and fix them. So far, the robots work alongside human resources and are used in some cases to combat the shortage of labor. Cars, planes, and even motorcycles also benefit greatly from this advancement, and there’s more to look forward to.
More and more companies are gradually catching up, and the market will experience a rise in value as well.
Manufacturing
The manufacturing industry is indeed one that is not slowing down soon. The demand for all types of products increases as the years go by, and this need creates room for a parallel increase in productivity.
That is where robotics and automation come in. The industry saw the first robots as far back as 1961, but these were repetitive machines that performed tasks that were considered boring or dangerous.
As time passed, they have evolved into more nuanced devices offering efficiency than unskilled labor. The manufacturing of electronics, for example, has seen the use of different robots to handle jobs like transporting devices for glue-spraying in the case of Beyerdynamic.
Further plans are being made for the technology to handle more responsibilities like inserting screws and final assembly of parts.
The ultimate goal of automation and robotics is to cut costs and increase productivity in as many sectors as possible. It is a great idea to include the technology in your operations, and all you’ll need is a corporate rebranding process to keep your stakeholders in the loop.
That will also make life more comfortable for everyone involved. There’s the fear that robots are going to take away jobs, but it’ll also create opportunities in many other areas, making it a win-win situation.
The possibilities are exciting for how far humanity can go with robotics and what other industries will get on board. Whatever the case, the progress is welcome.
