Robots are a familiar sight on nearly every car assembly line, lifting heavy objects or punching and stacking body panels.Now, instead of isolating them and letting robots endlessly repeat numbingly (for humans) basic tasks, a senior Hyundai executive believes that robots will share space with human workers and directly assist them, which is approaching fast.
Chang Song, president of Hyundai Motor Group, said that tomorrow’s robots will be able to perform various complex operations alongside humans, and even allow them to perform superhuman tasks.
And, by leveraging the metaverse—the virtual world for interacting with other people, computers and connected devices—robots can become physical avatars, acting as “ground partners” for humans located elsewhere, he said Song is one of several One of the speakers, in his CES presentation, he outlined the modern vision for advanced robotics.
Hyundai, once known for its entry-level cars, has undergone a series of changes in recent years.Not only has it moved upmarket, launching the Genesis luxury brand, which tripled its sales last year, but Hyundai has also expanded its reach as a “mobile services” company.”Robotics and mobility naturally work together,” said Hyundai Motor Chairman Yishun Chung at the opening of the Tuesday night event, one of the CES automaker’s presentations that actually took place at CES.BMW, GM and Mercedes-Benz cancelled; Fisker, Hyundai and Stellantis attended.
Robots began appearing in car assembly plants as early as the 1970s, and while they became stronger, more flexible, and smarter, most continued to perform the same basic duties.They are usually bolted to the ground and separated by fences, welding body panels, applying adhesives or transferring parts from one conveyor belt to another.
But Hyundai — and some of its competitors — envision robots being able to move more freely around factories.Robots may have wheels or legs.
The South Korean company planted a stake in the land when it acquired Boston Dynamics in June 2021.The American company already has a reputation for developing cutting-edge robotics, including a robotic dog named Spot.This 70-pound four-legged machine already has a place in automaking.Hyundai’s rival Ford put several of them into service last year, drawing precise maps of the plant’s interior.
Robots of tomorrow will take on all shapes and forms, Boston Dynamics founder and CEO Mark Raibert said in a Hyundai presentation.”We’re working on the concept of companionship,” he explained, “where humans and machines work together.”
This includes wearable robots and human exoskeletons that relieve workers when they have to perform their own difficult tasks, such as repeatedly lifting heavy parts or tools.”In some cases,” Raibert said, “they can turn people into superhumans.”
Hyundai had been interested in exoskeletons before acquiring Boston Dynamics.In 2016, Hyundai showed a concept exoskeleton that could enhance the lifting abilities of people working in factories: the H-WEX (Hyundai Waist Extension), a lifting assistant that can lift about 50 pounds with greater ease.The heavy-duty version can lift 132 lbs (60 kg).
A more sophisticated device, the H-MEX (Modern Medical Exoskeleton, pictured above) enables paraplegics to walk and climb stairs, using upper body movements and instrumented crutches to mark the user’s desired path.
Boston Robotics is focused on giving robots more than just increased power.It uses sensors that can provide machines with “situational awareness,” the ability to see and understand what’s going on around them.For example, “kinetic intelligence” could allow Spot to walk like a dog and even climb stairs or jump over obstacles.
Modern officials predict that in the long term, robots will be able to become the physical embodiment of humans.Using a virtual reality device and an internet connection, a technician might be able to skip the trip to a remote area and essentially become a robot that can perform repairs.
“Robots can operate where people shouldn’t be,” Raibert added, noting that several Boston Dynamics robots are now operating at the abandoned Fukushima nuclear power plant, where the meltdown occurred a decade ago.
Of course, the future capabilities envisioned by Hyundai and Boston Dynamics will not be limited to auto factories, officials stressed in their Tuesday night speech.The same technology can be used to better assist the elderly and disabled.Hyundai predicts that it could even connect kids with robotic avatars on Mars to explore the Red Planet through the metaverse.
Post time: Feb-15-2022