Automation, Controls and Technology News

Many 3D vision techniques are used for robot guidance and industrial inspection applications. More often than not, it is necessary to empower robots with the ability to become autonomous, identify, pick and place parts and collaboratively work with human operators. To accomplish this requires that such systems employ a number of machine vision techniques including photogrammetry, stereo vision, structured light, Time of Flight (TOF) and laser triangulation techniques to perform the task of localizing and measuring objects. Figure 1: 6 River Systems’ collaborative automation warehouse robot, known as Chuck, uses TiM LiDAR sensors from SICK to build a map of the environment...

  The scientific knowledge and methods used in ergonomics and human factors provides the ability to understand users, consumers and systems; to design new manufacturing technology, develop innovative and marketable products and services; improve operational efficiency; manage the ageing workforce; and improve health and safety.   Ergonomics and human factors have always been important to manufacturing. Ever since the industrial revolution forced people and machinery together in large-scale mass-production factory environments, sociotechnical problems began to emerge and have had to be dealt with. A similar need is arising in industry today with the uptake of Industry 4.0 technologies like collaborative...