Human-machine collaboration is an important characteristic of intelligent robots. A new generation of human-machine collaborative robots that integrate human-machine interaction, communication, and human-machine integration will lead a new trend of the times.
Tan Jianrong, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and dean of the School of Mechanical Engineering at Zhejiang University, believes that intelligent industrial robots have three basic characteristics: single-machine autonomy, multi-machine collaboration, and human-machine integration. Among these, human-machine integration is an important characteristic of intelligent robots.
The applications of collaborative robots are mainly concentrated in the fields of home, medical care, automobiles, and finance. New applications have emerged, such as "tongue mouse" which is controlled by the user by moving their tongue back and forth to input signals, and "electronic skin" which can generate tactile sensation and is used for skin repair of severe skin trauma such as burns.
In 2011, the United States launched the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership program, which explicitly stated that the next generation of robots will work closely with humans to provide new capabilities for industrial workers, healthcare workers, soldiers, surgeons, and astronauts to perform complex tasks.
In the development of robotics, collaborative robots have become a representative of human-machine integration. In 2020, there were more than 110 collaborative robot manufacturers worldwide, of which more than 75 were in the Chinese market, and the number continues to grow.
Data shows that in 2019, China's collaborative robot sales reached 8,200 units, a year-on-year increase of 29.75%; the market size reached 1.07 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 15.05%.
