Have you ever wondered what a cobot is and how it might be used in the workplace? From robots on assembly lines to leisurely serving drinks at cafes in Japan, many robotics solutions have been developed over the past few decades. Today, many industrial environments are starting to employ ‘cobots,’ collaborative robots that work alongside their human colleagues.
Despite this increased interest and uptake, however, many things need to be clarified about cobots that are preventing them from realizing their full potential as valuable members of many businesses’ teams. In this article, we’ll look at six common bot-busting myths about these innovative new bots – read on to find out more.
Cobots can only do menial tasks
Contrary to common beliefs, cobots can more than complete complex tasks such as assembling car parts and packing products. They use sophisticated artificial intelligence capabilities to detect their environment, identify objects, and plan their movements accordingly, in addition to handling physical labor.
It allows them to take on various big and small tasks that would otherwise need to be done with help from more traditional robots. So, while it may be true they can perform more straightforward automation like welding or screwdriver, judging them solely from this capacity alone is a mistake and sells these machines shortly.
Cobots are too expensive
Cobots had come in leaps and bounds from their early days when they were prohibitively expensive to most businesses. Today’s cobots are much more cost-effective, with even some top robot arms costing less than $70,000 — a fraction of what traditional robot arms used to cost.
Cobots are dangerous
Safety is essential in any form of automation, and cobots are no exception. Most cobot manufacturers incorporate safety features such as sensors and light curtains into their designs to ensure that they don’t harm human workers. It ensures that the robot stops working if someone strays too close to its workspace — making them much safer than traditional robots.
In addition, many companies have developed software algorithms designed for collaborative robots to interact more safely with humans in a shared workspace. These technologies allow the cobots to detect movements from humans and adjust their own accordingly, meaning that accidents are significantly less likely.
Cobots can only be used for one task
Cobots are incredibly versatile and can be easily reprogrammed for different tasks. You don’t need to purchase a separate robot arm for each task — instead, you can program the same robot arm to handle multiple applications.
Cobots are also relatively easy to set up; they come ready to program and have user-friendly software. It helps businesses save money by eliminating the cost of hiring engineers to set up and maintain their robotic systems.
Cobots require complex programming
Cobots are now much easier to program than before — with most of the setup process taking as little as a few hours. In addition, cobots can be easily reconfigured for different tasks by simply changing the programming parameters for a specific task. It makes them incredibly versatile and allows them to take on multiple roles in any workplace.
Furthermore, many of today’s cobot robot arms have user-friendly software that allows users to quickly program their robots without delving deep into complex coding languages or algorithms. It helps businesses save time on training and programming while allowing them to get more out of their cobots in less time.
Cobots will take away human jobs
Cobots are designed to work alongside humans, not replace them. Their purpose is to help lighten the load of existing human workers by taking on manual and repetitive tasks — freeing up these employees for more complex and vital roles within the business.
Many businesses that have implemented cobots into their operations have seen an increase in productivity and a decrease in labor and production costs. It means that cobots can generate new job opportunities rather than take them away — allowing businesses to spend their resources on hiring new personnel instead of expensive automation solutions.
In conclusion
Cobots can be highly beneficial additions to any workplace when used correctly. By dispelling some of the most common misconceptions about this technology, businesses can make an informed decision about whether or not cobots are suitable for them — and get the most out of this powerful automation solution.
By dispelling some of the most common misconceptions about this technology, businesses can make an informed decision about whether or not cobots are suitable for them — and get the most out of this powerful automation solution.
6 Common misconceptions about cobots
Have you ever wondered what a cobot is and how it might be used in the workplace? From robots on assembly lines to leisurely serving drinks at cafes in Japan, many robotics solutions have been developed over the past few decades. Today, many industrial environments are starting to employ ‘cobots,’ collaborative robots that work alongside their human colleagues.
Despite this increased interest and uptake, however, many things need to be clarified about cobots that are preventing them from realizing their full potential as valuable members of many businesses’ teams. In this article, we’ll look at six common bot-busting myths about these innovative new bots – read on to find out more.
Cobots can only do menial tasks
Contrary to common beliefs, cobots can more than complete complex tasks such as assembling car parts and packing products. They use sophisticated artificial intelligence capabilities to detect their environment, identify objects, and plan their movements accordingly, in addition to handling physical labor.
It allows them to take on various big and small tasks that would otherwise need to be done with help from more traditional robots. So, while it may be true they can perform more straightforward automation like welding or screwdriver, judging them solely from this capacity alone is a mistake and sells these machines shortly.
Cobots are too expensive
Cobots had come in leaps and bounds from their early days when they were prohibitively expensive to most businesses. Today’s cobots are much more cost-effective, with even some top robot arms costing less than $70,000 — a fraction of what traditional robot arms used to cost.
Cobots are dangerous
Safety is essential in any form of automation, and cobots are no exception. Most cobot manufacturers incorporate safety features such as sensors and light curtains into their designs to ensure that they don’t harm human workers. It ensures that the robot stops working if someone strays too close to its workspace — making them much safer than traditional robots.
In addition, many companies have developed software algorithms designed for collaborative robots to interact more safely with humans in a shared workspace. These technologies allow the cobots to detect movements from humans and adjust their own accordingly, meaning that accidents are significantly less likely.
Cobots can only be used for one task
Cobots are incredibly versatile and can be easily reprogrammed for different tasks. You don’t need to purchase a separate robot arm for each task — instead, you can program the same robot arm to handle multiple applications.
Cobots are also relatively easy to set up; they come ready to program and have user-friendly software. It helps businesses save money by eliminating the cost of hiring engineers to set up and maintain their robotic systems.
Cobots require complex programming
Cobots are now much easier to program than before — with most of the setup process taking as little as a few hours. In addition, cobots can be easily reconfigured for different tasks by simply changing the programming parameters for a specific task. It makes them incredibly versatile and allows them to take on multiple roles in any workplace.
Furthermore, many of today’s cobot robot arms have user-friendly software that allows users to quickly program their robots without delving deep into complex coding languages or algorithms. It helps businesses save time on training and programming while allowing them to get more out of their cobots in less time.
Cobots will take away human jobs
Cobots are designed to work alongside humans, not replace them. Their purpose is to help lighten the load of existing human workers by taking on manual and repetitive tasks — freeing up these employees for more complex and vital roles within the business.
Many businesses that have implemented cobots into their operations have seen an increase in productivity and a decrease in labor and production costs. It means that cobots can generate new job opportunities rather than take them away — allowing businesses to spend their resources on hiring new personnel instead of expensive automation solutions.
In conclusion
Cobots can be highly beneficial additions to any workplace when used correctly. By dispelling some of the most common misconceptions about this technology, businesses can make an informed decision about whether or not cobots are suitable for them — and get the most out of this powerful automation solution.
By dispelling some of the most common misconceptions about this technology, businesses can make an informed decision about whether or not cobots are suitable for them — and get the most out of this powerful automation solution.