Research Outline

Robotics Software Providers

Goals

Determine how useful data from factory worker movement is to developing control programs for co-bots or other related software by providing examples of robots created based on said data.

Early Findings

Geodis and Strong Arm

  • Current data tracking for employees is utilized to increase productivity and safety, however, there are concerns about what the companies could do with this data, including firing workers for decreased productivity or utilizing the data to fight worker compensation claims.
  • While not currently being used to develop a robot, the company Geodis utilizes a worker monitoring device, StrongArm, and says it "is looking to automate jobs." The company may use the StrongArm data to identify places with either decreased productivity or increased safety risk and then develop a robot for those areas.

Ford

  • Ford recently developed motion tracking bodysuits for their employees to wear after seeing "a suit they saw at a trade fair that demonstrated how robots could replicate human movement."
  • They state they are currently using this data to improve employee ergonomics and reduce injuries.

Drishti

  • Drishti is a company that provides AI and movement tracking software to other manufacturing companies for the purpose of improving worker productivity and safety.

Future Possibilities

  • In the future, robots may be able to learn more complicated tasks independently, utilizing machine learning and AI, either from other robots or from observing human workers.