A Drop-In Solution for Replacing Human Labor? Kawada’s Nextage Robot | Singularity Hub
24 Dec 2011 Leave a Comment
Via Scoop.it – CyberInterNetics
Automation poses a real threat to the factory worker – two armed robots like Nextage can perform many of the same tasks as a human, but only take as much money to run as powering a hair dryer. AIST and Kawada, the developers of Nextage, want to assuage the fears of the working class. Their robot is designed not to eliminate human laborers, but to work side by side with them. The Nextage detects movement and won’t collide with people who enter its space. Without the need for safety barriers used with traditional industrial robots, the Nextage may be able to simply plug into spots previously occupied by human workers. In the video below taken in Tokyo, Kawada demonstrates the versatility of the two armed robots, and highlights how multiple Nextage bots can coordinate their movements to work on the same task at the same time. These robots clearly know the value of teamwork, and humans may actually be allowed to be part of that team.
Via singularityhub.com
