Robotic Warehouses

August 20, 2016 | ProgressTH In the race between localized manufacturing and automating existing, global-spanning logistical networks, localized manufacturing will eventually win. But until that day comes, automating aspects of existing supply chains provides us with some amazing solutions especially in robotics, sensors, and even artificial intelligence.

Check out this video about inVia Robotics and how they are helping to automate warehouses. There are lots of other robotic companies out there with similar solutions. And don't worry, even when localized manufacturing takes over, there will likely be plenty of applications these sort of systems can play a role in.

Are there opensource solutions out there helping to automate local SMEs? Yes. Here in Thailand there is a company, RST Robotics, which makes small and medium industrial robots for welding and moving products from one part of an assembly line to another.

As prices go down for researching, developing, and fabricating technology, we'll see a lot more of the sort of systems only big companies once were able to afford working their way into local industry, businesses, and economies.

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How Robots Will Decentralize Manufacturing Worldwide

June 8, 2016 | ProgressTH MIT Tech Review recently published an article about how China is attempting to maintain its status as the "world's factory" by adopting robotic automation across its labor-intensive factories. The article describes how wages are increasing in China in relation to other regional manufacturing hubs like Thailand and Vietnam, and to stay competitive, China is turning to technology.

Several interesting figures were shared by Tech Review's article including the current number of robots per 10,000 employs in several countries compared to China. The article titled "China is Building a Robot ARmy of Model Workers" stated:

In South Korea, for instance, there are 478 robots per 10,000 workers; in Japan the figure is 315; in Germany, 292; in the United States it is 164. In China that number is only 36.

The article also shares the details of efforts being made by China to increase the number of robots used in manufacturing which includes increasing imported robotic systems from abroad as well as developing China's own robotic industry. The article also points out that newer industrial robots like Boston-based Rethink Robotics' Baxter and Sawyer models cost only tens of thousands of dollars versus the hundreds of thousands typical industrial robots cost.

Robots to Give Organic Agriculture an Extra Edge

June 4, 2016 | ProgressTH One of the biggest criticisms leveled against organic agriculture is the extra labor needed to weed between rows and the resulting soil erosion that occurs as soil is tilled during the weeding process. Claims that organic agriculture produces smaller yields are also common.

While organic farmers already are addressing these issues in a variety of innovative ways, the dropping cost in automation and robotics is opening many new options as well.

As robotic technology advances from academic experiments in agricultural applications to commercial applications, it is inevitable that whatever disadvantages organic agriculture may currently have, they may be more than made up for through the use of automation.

Imagine the best of both worlds, of organic agriculture that requires no dangerous and expensive chemicals or patented genetic alterations, coupled together with cutting edge technology farmers own that improves yields, soil health,  and reduces labor.

That is the promise agricultural robotics offers.

University Shows off Progress of Interactive Robots

December 20, 2015 | ProgressTH At an event in Bangkok over the weekend, we spotted a child-sized robot that was stealing the show. Built by a small team at Bangkok University, its primary function is to serve tables at restaurants. A quick look at the robot reveals that its head is actually a Kinect motion input device used for interactive computer games.  Using software made by the university team, the robot takes this information, and along with a digital map of the restaurant it works in, uses it to navigate to and from tables, avoid obstacles (including customers and human staff) and even interact with them.

The project has been featured in Fuji Technology's Journal of Robotics and Mechatronics. 
To build the robot which was designed in SolidWorks, a 3D design program popular among designers and engineers, the files were sent to computer controlled mills to cut out the parts from steel. Other parts, like the many servos that makes up the robot's arms, were ordered from South Korea.