Robotics - Articles - Page 3

5 technologies to support social distancing in warehouses

April 1, 2021

As the pandemic continues, warehouse workers are still adapting. In particular, social distancing is essential to prevent the spread of the virus, keep employees safe, and maintain operations.

Cover story

The factory of the future is now

Smart technology, the Internet of Things and robotics are changing manufacturing operations

Benita Mehta

November 6, 2020

Everyone has heard of the term “smart factory” by now, but what is it exactly, and how is it being implemented right now?

A workplace accident? Blame the robot!

October 21, 2019

A new study out of North Carolina State University sheds some interesting light on how employees – some of them, anyway – view their robotic co-workers. They blame them for workplace accidents – if they believe the robots are autonomous. Researchers showed study participants scenarios of several workplace accidents involving both a human and a robot.

Amazon develops safety tech vest to prevent accidents with robots

October 4, 2019

Safety in Amazon warehouses has been scrutinized by the media in recent years, particularly for interactions between humans and robots. TechCrunch reports that the online retail giant has been introducing a new worker safety wearable to 25+ sites to prevent accidents involving robotic systems in their warehouses.

First responders get life-saving sensor readings, video surveillance

Squishy Robots to the rescue

Dave Johnson

June 3, 2019

It’s a bird, it’s a plane… no, it’s a Squishy Robot, dropped from a helicopter or a drone to transmit crucial environmental data to emergency responders at disaster scenes.

Managing air quality in weld cells

In robotic welding environments, fume levels rise as production volume increases

Josh Delson

April 30, 2019

Pre-engineered robotic welding cells make automation available for a wide range of applications. Installing robots in facilities of all sizes can boost productivity by increasing weld speed, efficiency and quality. They also reduce cycle time by allowing a single operator to fixture the next piece while the robot welds.

Welding robots are on the rise

What’s your strategy? Evaluate risks and select the right safeguarding systems

Carrie Halle

April 8, 2019

Robotic welding provides manufacturers with several competitive advantages. Most importantly, it makes them more productive while generating more consistent, higher quality welds and reducing waste. Robots also empower manufacturers to address the current shortage of skilled welders to recruit.

A NIOSH flashback:

How to work safely with robots – circa 1984

December 6, 2018

With the recent focus on robots and worker safety, it may be surprising to learn that the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) first addressed this issue 34 years ago. In 1984, the agency released safety recommendations for working with robots after an experienced operator of an automated die-cast system died when he became pinned between the back end of an industrial robot and a steel safety pole.

Weekly news round-up

November 17, 2018

Robotics pose safety challenges in the workplace, Tennessee ash coal cleanup workers win a legal victory and an air traffic controller starts slurring her words while on duty. These were among the top occupational safety and health stories featured on ISHN.com this week.

How dangerous are robotics to workplace safety, really?

Kayla Matthews

November 15, 2018

Robots are becoming increasingly popular in workplaces around the globe, especially cobots, the machines designed to work next to humans. But when considering implementing any technology, it's essential to keep safety at the forefront. What possibilities exist for robots malfunctioning and hurting people or otherwise compromising worker well-being?