🤖 The Robotics Race, ASRS Made Simple, Humanoids Creep Me Out 🏎️

Ray is Winning

Oh great, just what we needed, more machines to take our jobs and make us irrelevant!

📣 Topics of the Day 📣

• The Robotics Race Is On

• ASRS Made Simple

• To Be Human Or Not

• Tech of the Day: Accuracy vs Precision, Get It Right!

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The Robotics Race Is On

I remember when I got out of college there were a handful of well known robotics companies. You know the usual ABB, Fanuc, Kuka, Motoman, etc etc etc. Today it seems that there's a new robotic company popping up every day. Venture capitalists are pretty smart folks and they can clearly see industrial and warehouse automation is trending up and will for some time. So, they do what any good VC does, start placing large bets. Even today I saw that a noname robotics company raised $24M. Looking at their marketing.. it's dull and misguided, their product is nothing special. Yet they now have TWENTY FOUR MILLION DOLLARS to continue their existence. What I'm finding so fascinating is how there is so little differentiation between the hardware of these robots/cobots yet we have so many companies that have practically built the same widget.

I predict a race. You know like the space race where the US and Russia were competing for the glory of being the first into space. Then we had a nuclear arms race, etc. As people we love to have races. So it should be no surprise that with automation being center stage and lot's of cash flowing into the space there will now be a race for market share. We'll see the new guys trying to take market share from the giants. It won't be easy BUT..in this day and age it won't take much to quickly become the new favorite kid on the block. The right product, the right marketing, and make it easy for clients to do business with you. The giants are big and slow and even though they may be the creators of innovation, they will not be able to get out of their own way to bring those innovations to market, the real innovations we seek.

Now for a robotics race that's a little more exciting to talk about..watch this video about the The Great Robot Race sponsored by DARPA:

ASRS Made Simple

Not sure if everyone caught this fat nugget the other day. Autostore has a sister company called PIO. This company exists to sell and deliver the projects that Autostore's distributors don't want to. What does this mean?

It means 2 things. Autostore's distributors (called integrators) are getting pretentious and not wanting to take on smaller projects. I get it, why focus on more smaller higher margin projects when it's more prestigious to have a huge 8 figure deal with major cost overruns...hopefully you caught my sarcasm. The second thing this points to is that Autostore is not happy with the lack of intention in the small to medium sized business market. Integrators are notorious for having their first project sold to a client be the last project. But for a manufacturer, like Autostore, they need to show continued growth over the long term. And the best way to ensure you're relevant after 10, 30, 50 years? Be there helping to solve the problems of the fledgling business and you will be the first to the table when that little company grows and needs more equipment. Oh and also if you check out PIO's site they look like they are going to make it EZ to get started with ASRS. Which I think is fantastic! This technology is not rocket science, even though lots of sales people want you to believe so.

I'm curious now that Autostore has created PIO and they now have thoroughly populated the US with their units does this mean they will start cutting back on their integrator/distributor partnerships? Seems to me the writing is on the wall!!

Tech of the Day: Accuracy vs Precision, Get It Right!

Two of the most misunderstood terms in automation and robotics are precision and accuracy. Whenever someone misuses these words it's like hearing a machine with a bad bearing in my soul. It's no surprise then that whenever I bring someone into our industry I teach, or better yet, preach what these terms mean and how they're different.

Precision refers to the degree of consistency and reproducibility of a measurement. It is a measure of how well a measurement is repeated under similar conditions. Precision is usually measured as a %.

Accuracy, on the other hand, refers to how close a measurement is to the true or accepted value. This is going to be more X units off from the target.

For example, if a you weigh yourself multiple times on the same scale and get the same weight each time,say 195lbs, the scale has high precision. Precision..the repeatability of the result.

Now sticking with this weight example. What if in reality you weigh 200lbs but the scale says 195lbs. This would mean the scale is not accurate. Accuracy..how close the the target you get.

ACCURACY AND PRECISION ARE NOT ALWAYS MUTUALLY INCLUSIVE. We generally are seeking our robotics and automated systems to be both accurate AND precise. Meaning that the robot does EXACTLY what it was supposed to do (accuracy) EVERY TIME it is asked to do it (precision).

Another illustration of this is my dart throwing skills. I suck at hitting that center target. But boy my shots keep hitting the bottom left of the dartboard every time. My accuracy sucks, but I'm very precise.

So please for all that is holy and sacred in this world use these two words the right way!

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To Be Human Or Not

I came across this video recorded at Stanford that got me thinking. Will humans be more accepting of humanoid robots or non-humanoid robots? If you think about the Terminator movies those robots freak me out. And it's not what they can do but instead that they look human.

The question of whether humans would prefer robots that look like humans, or have a more mechanical appearance, is a complex one and depends on a variety of factors, such as personal preferences and the specific tasks the robot will be performing. But let's be real, no one wants a robot that looks like Dwight Schrute.

One argument in favor of robots that look like humans is that they may be more acceptable and less intimidating to people, just like Jim's "new face" in "The Office." Human-like robots, or "humanoids," are designed to mimic human movements and facial expressions, which can make them more relatable and easier to interact with. This could be especially beneficial in situations where robots are working closely with people, such as in healthcare or customer service, just like how Pam's receptionist robot could handle the phones while she's away.

On the other hand, some people may find human-like robots to be unsettling or even creepy. The uncanny valley effect, is the phenomenon where people feel uneasy or uncomfortable when looking at something that is almost, but not quite, human-like. This could make human-like robots less appealing to some people, and less effective in certain situations, like when you're trying to scare your coworkers with a robot.

Another argument is that mechanical-looking robots may be more suitable for certain tasks. For example, a robot that looks like a machine may be more appropriate for working in a factory or warehouse environment, where its primary function is to perform specific tasks such as picking and packing, or a robot wearing a beret holding a baguette painting art.

Whether humans would prefer robots that look like humans or not is a complex question and depend on various factors such as the intended purpose of the robot, the environment in which it will be working, and personal preferences. Some people may find human-like robots more relatable and easier to interact with (primarily because they themselves have no soul), while others may find them unsettling. Ultimately, the best design for a robot will depend on the specific task or environment it will be working in, and the preferences of the people it will be interacting with. Companies such as Boston Dynamics and SoftBank Robotics are known for their advanced human-like robots that are creepy.

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Have feedback or want to contribute a video, article or tacos? Maybe I'm interested maybe I'm not sure that I'm looking for it. If you have something constructive you can catch me on Twitter. @robotsrcoming or email us at [email protected]

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