Precision is a critical requirement for most industrial manipulation tasks. In fact, it could be said that precision and repeatability are the two driving forces that make the industrial automation process successful. 

Manipulator arms are a common part of the industrial landscape to automate heavy, repetitive or dangerous tasks. What is new here is the technological advancement of robot manipulators, both in terms of software and hardware.

Today, the applications of a robot manipulator include a multitude of precision tasks such as assembly, welding, material or parts manipulation, screwing, polishing and many more. Here you can see some real-life use cases of mobile manipulation in different areas. 

Robotnik is a pioneer in developing mobile manipulation for industry, available in the portfolio. This article gives an overview of the current developments and applications of mobile manipulator robots.

WHAT ARE THE ESSENTIAL FEATURES TO LOOK FOR IN MOBILE MANIPULATORS FOR PRECISION ENGINEERING?

Each application requires specific characteristics. Typically, for a mobile manipulator intended to perform precision tasks, the following points should be considered:

    • Reach: maximum distance the manipulator arm can reach from its base. This determines the manipulator arm's ability to access different work areas.
    • Positioning accuracy: the ability of the manipulator arm to accurately position its end tool at a specific location within a 3D space. It is important for tasks that require high precision such as assembly or manipulation of sensitive objects.
    • Payload: maximum weight that the manipulator arm can safely carry or handle. In the case of a mobile robot manipulator, the payload capacity of the base should also be considered in addition to that of the robot arm. 
    • Safety: incorporated protection systems, object or person detection sensors, emergency stop systems and other mechanisms to prevent accidents and injuries during operation. Depending on this, a mobile manipulator can be classified as collaborative like the RB-KAIROS+, or not. 
    • Autonomy: time that the industrial manipulator robot can operate on its own without charging.
    • Ease of use: how intuitive the control system and user interface of the mobile manipulator is. Ease of use allows operators to program, control and monitor the robot's operations in the most user-friendly way.
    • Autonomous navigation: to move autonomously through an environment, avoiding obstacles and following predefined or dynamically generated routes. This can be achieved through the use of navigation sensors, mapping systems or path planning algorithms.

APPLICATIONS OF ROBOTNIK’S MOBILE MANIPULATORS IN DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES

Robotnik’s mobile manipulator robots have been developed to perform collaborative precision applications in various industries including automotive, aerospace, agriculture or general logistics environments. Some examples of tasks that mobile manipulators can perform:

    • Material handling 
    • Machine tending 
    • Screwing 
    • Quality control
    • Assembly
    • Welding 
    • Pick & Place 
    • Finishing tasks

ROBOT MANIPULATORS USED IN HAZARDOUS ENVIRONMENTS

One of the main advantages of mobile manipulation is the reduction of the risk for people to be exposed to toxic substances, radiation, adverse environmental conditions or tasks that present some level of risk.

The different types of manipulators in robotics play a key role in performing tasks in hazardous environments, where the safety and protection of workers is a priority. These environments can include potentially hazardous industries by the nature of their activity such as nuclear, chemical and oil, disaster and emergency situations or just tedious or heavy tasks within any manufacturing environment.

Thus, a mobile manipulator can effectively perform a variety of tasks in hazardous environments such as inspecting structures, handling toxic materials, repairing equipment or manipulating heavy loads.
Its ability to operate remotely or autonomously is another advantage as it allows operators to control mechanical manipulators from a safe location, minimizing the risk of exposure.

INTEGRATING AI WITH MOBILE MANIPULATORS FOR AUTONOMOUS OPERATIONS

Artificial Intelligence’s contribution to manipulator arms is significant, but it is even greater when it comes to mobile manipulators.

Integrating AI into a manipulator arm means that it can improve the ability to perceive, identify and recognise objects, people or other elements in the environment more accurately. This is especially useful in applications such as the manipulation of unknown objects or safe interaction with humans. 

On the other hand, mobile manipulators have been conceived to work in various locations, moving in open or unstructured spaces. AI increases the robot’s autonomy, its ability to react to unforeseen events and the adaptive learning framework that ultimately makes the acquisition of more intelligent behaviors feasible. 

By combining the advanced processing power of AI with the mobility and manipulation skills of robots, complex tasks can be performed autonomously and efficiently.

AI facilitates mobile manipulators to make real-time decisions based on sensory data and predictive models, dynamically adapting to changing environments and unforeseen situations. This is essential for autonomous navigation, as robots must be able to avoid obstacles, plan optimal routes and make safe decisions even in dynamic environments.

In conclusion, mobile manipulators are improving their precision thanks to the development of Artificial Intelligence. This results in an increase of tasks that mobile manipulator robots can perform more autonomously and intelligently, even in hazardous environments. 

FAQs about robotics

AI enables improvements in terms of autonomy, precision and navigation of a mobile manipulator robot.

Mobile manipulator robots prevent people from accessing hazardous environments, heavy or repetitive tasks, and contact with toxic or harmful components.

A mobile manipulator automates tasks such as material handling, welding, screwing, machine feeding, quality control or Pick & Place, and more.