Cobot: Human / Robot Interactive Mechatronics
This meat processing worker is using a cobotic meat hook in his left hand to pull, as he cuts with a knife in his right hand. The cobotic meat hook moves with the same speed and motion as his left hand, but his 10 pound pull on the cobot translates into a 100 pound pull on the meat. The result is much faster processing, with a significant reduction in repetitive strain shoulder injuries suffered by workers.
A “cobot” is a robot that works in tight coordination with a human worker
The robot uses its strength to augment the human worker while the human uses his eyes to understand the task, his brain to plan what comes next, and his dexterity to take action
The combination of a cobot and a human produces a result that is greater than what either could do by acting alone
- Cobots help people do more, faster, with fewer injuries
- Cobots must be designed to be seamlessly integrated into how people perform their tasks
- Cobots are usually unique to a specific task. An example of a more generalized cobot would be an exoskeleton.
- Cobots have been designed and produced by HDT for over a decade