Keywords
Citation
(2003), "ABB robot demonstrates speed and accuracy at Enginuity design and technology centre", Industrial Robot, Vol. 30 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.2003.04930eab.006
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2003, MCB UP Limited
ABB robot demonstrates speed and accuracy at Enginuity design and technology centre
ABB robot demonstrates speed and accuracy at Enginuity design and technology centre
Keywords: Robots, Education, ABB
"Beat the robot" exhibit pulls in the "competitive" crowds.
ABB has started a robot war - and is encouraging children to participate! The global power and automation technologies group has teamed-up with one of its largest UK customers, GKN Autostructures in Telford, to provide a nippy little ABB robot to demonstrate robotic speed and accuracy to children.
The robot is installed at Enginuity, the new interactive design and technology centre at Ironbridge Gorge in Telford. GKN is a seasoned benefactor of various projects in the Telford community and was only too pleased to ask for ABB's help in providing the museum with an interactive robot exhibit.
John Challen, Curator of Technology, Enginuity, comments: "I think that visitors are surprised when they see what a robot can do. The ABB robot exhibit is interactive, and visitors pitch themselves against the speed and accuracy of the robot by seeing how quickly and accurately they can thread a loop over a length of bent, sensitised wire. Of course, the robot is extremely fast and unfailingly accurate, but the children are very competitive and don't give-up easily!" (Plate 4).
Robotics is displayed at Enginuity as it shows visitors two distinct sides - the industrial/manufacturing side, which demonstrates the robots capability to carry- out accurate and repetitive work, and the capability of robots to carry-out work in places that are unsuitable or impossible for humans to go.
David Marshall, Business Manager, Robotics, ABB adds: "The 'Beat the Robot' Enginuity project was nine months in the making and once we had designed the robot exhibit and programmed the software, a dedicated ABB engineer installed and tested it at the museum. We are really proud to be part of this design and technology centre - robots are the future and so are children, and this is the place where both come together so powerfully."
Plate 4