The increased use of robotics is pushing up the output of production facilities, allowing round the clock operation. It is also enabling the offloading of monotonous tasks, so that staff can be assigned other responsibilities that are more rewarding and thereby develop new skills. Robots, cobots and AGVs also means that staff no longer have to work in environments that could potentially be dangerous, or might have long-term health implications.
Robots were originally kept separate from human workers, situated in caged areas that prevented their movements from injuring people. The situation is now changing, with interaction between robotic systems and staff becoming increasingly commonplace. Cobots will be working alongside humans on the factory floor, helping them with the heavy lifting, fast-moving repetitive operations, for example. They must be aware of the exact position of their co-workers at all times, and their movements stopped immediately if someone gets in the way. This means that high resolution image sensors and UWB positioning technology will need to be employed. AGVs travelling through factories or warehouses will require such functionality too, as well as possibly ToF or LiDAR based 3D imaging. In addition, they will rely on wireless or cellular communication for navigation purposes. So that they can move around different parts of the industrial site, there will be a need for seamless handover between different cellular or wireless access points to ensure there is no connection loss.
It is clear that the efficient and safe operation of robots requires implementation of sophisticated systems. EBV is in a position to offer an expansive selection of components to support this - covering motor drivers, sensors, imaging devices and power discretes, as well as processors and connectivity ICs.
Encoder solutions from Broadcom
Broadcom is a leading supplier of motion control optical and magnetic encoders including incremental and absolute versions for motor feedback and positioning systems - available in chip, kit and module types.
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The Quintessence of Robotics
As humanoid companions, autonomous vehicles, surgical assistants or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), robots are now even taking over areas in industry outside of their inherent use. Equipped with powerful microprocessors, artificial intelligence and high-precision sensors, robots are able to work directly with people, autonomously perform tasks in an unknown environment and even recognize the emotions of a human counterpart.
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