Citation
(2002), "Chairman's report", Industrial Robot, Vol. 29 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.2002.04929fab.010
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2002, MCB UP Limited
Chairman's report
Chairman’s report
A lot of us operate in the automotive sector where robots are commonplace and the robot is a mature piece of the industrial automation toolkit. It is easy to forget that not only are there many industrial sectors where the use of robots is still very low but also in other aspects of our lives, such as the home, health care, transport and leisure, the use of robotics is still rare (Plate 1).
It may be that we will not see robots as we currently understand them driving our cars or cleaning our houses but it is fairly certain that various forms of intelligent automation using robotic technologies, will be implemented to improve our lifestyles, remove arduous tasks and increase leisure time. I, for one, consider vacuum cleaning to be an arduous task and will be very happy when the need for this task is completely removed (or perhaps my wife will).
Plate 1
Mike Wilson
One of the difficulties may be the lack of skilled engineers to implement these technologies in packages, which are both effective but also economic. If we can make the business exciting, like it was in the 70’s and 80’s then we will get skilled engineers. But to be exciting requires risk taking, change, developments, expansion and so on.
I am also convinced that research often lacks focus with many small and under resourced initiatives under way all over the world. These are often working on similar tasks and there is much re-inventing the wheel, taking place. I do not have an answer but I am sure increased communication would be beneficial. We need all researchers and industrialists active in robotics to be able to get together and share their experiences and knowledge. This will at least ensure we have the opportunity to learn from the experiences of others and thereby quicken the pace of progress.
I get the feeling that we need a step change. The industrial sector is doing okay and has turned itself into a viable automation business. It is fighting hard to gain significant inroads outside the traditional user groups. The research community is still solving technological problems but there are very few who are figuring out how to use this technology in the real world.
Mike WilsonIFR Chairman