The rise of the robots has begun. But don't worry, it is not a Terminator-style uprising – this mechanoid is our friend.
YuMi (“you and me”) is described as the world’s first “human-safe” robotic co-worker, one that will do all that really boring, repetitive work that sentient beings don’t want to do.
YuMi can assemble mobile phones, wrap gifts, draw and write, make a paper plane, hand out invitations at the door and, if programmed right, even pull off some awkward dance moves with its long, rotating, twisting arms.
Targeted at the manufacturing industry, YuMi made its Middle East debut in Dubai this week at the Armani Hotel in Burj Khalifa as a star attraction at The Internet of Things 2016 conference.
YuMi demonstrated its capacity for “human friendliness” by stopping all movement whenever it felt the slightest touch, thanks to sensors placed along its arms, which makes it safe to work next to a human.
“The new era of robotic coworkers is here,” says Aki Maenpaa, a local division manager at Zurich-based robotics company ABB, which created YuMi.
It was launched at last year’s Hannover Messe by the Swedish-Swiss company. It costs about US$50,000 (Dh184,000), the exact price depending on the specifications each customer requires.
YuMi can be programmed to do almost anything related to “lightweight assembly” – it can carry objects weighing up to 500 grams and has a reach that extends 500 millimetres.
“It is quite user-friendly, where you can programme it to do repetitive, boring tasks that humans would not want to do,” says Maenpaa. “It can go on and on and on, with the regular maintenance required for any piece of machinery.”
There are plenty of robots already operating in heavy-duty manufacturing industries and factories – including car makers and food and beverage factories. They don’t look much like the sci-fi movie robots that end up rebelling and taking over the world in retaliation for years of slavery.
What makes YuMi different, is that it is said to be completely “safe” for humans.
“The typical robot can’t recognise there is a problem,” says Maenpaa. “For instance, if there is any human touch of any kind, [YuMi] pauses instantly, where the typical assembly robot will continue doing what it is programmed to do.
“It is a great tool to use when trying to diversify an economy and enter new industrial and manufacturing fields.”
Weighing just 38 kilograms, the robot’s arms have multiple, flexible rotating points, allowing them to twist, move fast or slow and avoid crushing delicate objects.
When a camera is installed, YuMi can be programmed to to sort out piles of objects. It can even make coffee.
The potential applications seem extensive, but for now, the company is targeting electronics and other small-parts industries, such as watchmakingand the manufacturers of toys and automotive components.
“It can also work in hazardous environments where it is not safe for a human to work,” says Maenpaa.
If you would like to meet YuMi – and even program a few moves – you can check it out until the end of the month at the ABB office at Aldar’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi.
In other news at the conference, it was estimated that by 2020, inter-device connections will be at more than five times the level of human-to-human connections, completely transforming business and society in a significant shift that many experts are predicting will be the “fourth” industrial revolution.
“What was regarded as sci-fi yesterday might very well become reality faster than we think,” says Johan Ehrstrom, group chief executive from the event organiser Content Group International.
rghazal@thenational.ae