In today’s manufacturing plants,
the division of labor between humans and robots is quite clear: Large,
automated robots are typically cordoned off in metal cages, manipulating heavy
machinery and performing repetitive tasks, while humans work in less hazardous
areas on jobs requiring finer detail. But according to researchers at MIT, the
factory floor of the future may host humans and robots working side by side,
each helping the other in common tasks. Shah envisions robotic assistants
performing tasks that would otherwise hinder a human’s efficiency, particularly
in airplane manufacturing.
If the robot can provide tools
and materials so the person doesn’t have to walk over to pick up parts and walk
back to the plane, you can significantly reduce the idle time of the person. It’s
really hard to make robots do careful refinishing tasks that people do really
well. But providing robotic assistants to do the non-value-added work can
actually increase the productivity of the overall factory. A robot working in
isolation has to simply follow a set of pre-programmed instructions to perform
a repetitive task. But working with humans is a different matter.
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