Robotics: collaboration or cooperation?

A robot can work alongside humans either collaboratively or cooperatively. Collaboration refers to when a robot

and a human work simultaneously on the same product or part. Typically, a robot presents a part and holds it still,

while the operator works on it. Cooperation, on the other hand, identifies a situation where robot and human share

a common working space, but work on different parts.

Consequently, the right robotic solution essentially depends on the level of interaction required by each application.

Cooperative industrial robots are the best choice for applications that require limited human-machine interaction,

such as in a packaging or palletising station, where human and robot never work on the same task at the same time.

Cooperative robots are less agile and more cumbersome than cobots, but more suitable in case of heavy components,

as they tend to be more resistant to high payloads.

State-of-the-art cobots also boast integrated vision systems that allow them to rapidly adapt to environmental changes

without stopping. For example, the RapidPlan and RapidSense applications recently developed by Realtime Robotics

allow the company’s cobots to avoid collision with a human operator without halting production. Instead of just stopping,

these cobots calculate an alternative route and carry on with their task.

Whether collaborative or cooperative, robotic technology is now an integral part of the smart factory. Though robots

will probably never completely substitute the common sense and problem-solving abilities of skilled human workers,

they can successfully complement them by taking charge of heavy, repetitive and monotonous tasks. It’s the perfect

combination!