✕

While robot orders in North American have trended downward after record sales in 2021 and 2022, there’s still plenty of optimism in the market for automation. More industries, most noticeably food services and life sciences, increasingly turn to automation to increase productivity and navigate the shortage of workers eager to tackle the dull, dirty and dangerous jobs robots are increasingly able to handle.

Few know the latest in robotics better than Jeff Burnstein, the president of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3). With 1,300 member companies, he’s in near constant contact with industry innovators and users alike on the road or at A3’s numerous tradeshows and conferences such as the largest automation show in North America, Automate.

In October alone, the association hosted the International Robot Safety Conference, the first Humanoid Robot Forum and the Autonomous Mobile Robot & Logistics Conference, with another on AI & Smart Automation in November. We talked to Jeff about highlights from these shows as well as other happenings we should be paying attention to in this ever-evolving industry.

What are some of the highlights you’ve seen in automation this year?

For me, top of mind is that robots are getting easier to use even as they get more advanced, resulting in more companies starting to deploy them to improve productivity and to help them succeed in increasingly competitive markets. Robots aren’t going away, so we all need to learn to embrace what they offer and provide the education needed to help human workers thrive in new, more valuable jobs like managing the robots. That’s what we’re trying to do at A3. It’s why we put on these shows – letting us bring companies in the industry and often end users working alongside the robots into one location to give them access to the latest innovations, best practices and real-world success stories.

One of the most important components a company deploying robots needs to learn is how to keep human workers safe, and that’s what our International Robot Safety Conference is focused on. A highlight from this year’s conference was some prominent updates on the ISO 10218 standard for industrial robot safety. This revision includes guidance for both traditional and collaborative robots, aimed at improving human safety in shared workspaces. Expect to see this new standard ratified sometime in 2025.

Other recent highlights came at our first Humanoid Robot Forum. Humanoid robots are clearly a hot topic in the news, with everyone wondering just how soon they’ll be working in the warehouse or folding our laundry at home.

I’ve been a skeptic, but it appears developments, at least in warehouses and factories, are coming along quicker than many people expected. Melonee Wise, the CTO of Agility Robotics, told attendees that humanoids are already doing valuable production work today and will be safe enough to be around people within the next couple of years.

What are challenges to the creation and deployment of humanoid robots?

Despite all the buzz, there are definitely still challenges, including safety, AI integration and motion control, before widespread adoption can occur. And until we can work out these issues in factories and warehouses and have them working alongside people, we aren’t going to see them folding our laundry or helping with the elderly, both future use cases I’d be happy to see.

In any case, AI advances are enabling humanoids, and labor shortages are driving the need. At the Humanoid Robot Forum, we experienced that enthusiasm but appreciated the realistic assessment of the current state of humanoid robot technology and its potential future.

Humanoid robots appear to be a highly anticipated innovation, but what’s happening in regard to autonomous mobile robots and even collaborative robots that are already working in facilities today, outside of protective fences? What did you learn about innovations in AMRs at your recent conference?

AMRs, and even collaborative robots, are already transforming the way work is done, especially in the material handling and logistics space by facilitating safer, more flexible, and more efficient operations across various sectors. From the factory floor and warehouses, to hospitals and restaurants, they are two of the fastest growing segments in robotics today, and we don’t expect that to change.

In addition to advancements in robot hardware, enabling even higher payloads, we’re seeing advancements in software platforms that are making these robots – as well as traditional industrial robots - even easier to program, deploy and manage. Low-code/no-code automation platforms allow users to create automated workflows and applications with minimal coding that empowers non-technical staff to automate processes. This democratizes automation by making it accessible to a wider range of employees. This trend is driving faster return on investment (ROI) as businesses of all sizes can seamlessly integrate these solutions to improve efficiency and productivity.

Speaking of AI, why an AI & Smart Automation Conference? What are you expecting to see?

AI is revolutionizing manufacturing by providing solutions previously deemed out-of-reach by automation and robotics. Cutting-edge AI technologies enable factories to optimize operations, improve quality, enhance decision-making and push the boundaries of innovation. AI partnered with vision are powering a new wave of smart robotics capable of performing human-like tasks. Simulation allows companies to design, test, and optimize their production lines before any bolts are tightened. And, optimization algorithms are letting companies improve everything from on-the-line processes to global supply chain challenges.

Workers being concerned about robots taking jobs isn’t new, but there’s been some recent pushback from dockworkers in the U.S. – an actual call for a ban on automation. What do you say about that? Should dock workers or any workers be concerned about robots putting them out of work?

While we understand the concerns addressed by the International Longshoremen’s Association, the real threat to jobs is from companies that fail to stay competitive. In today’s global economy, ports must automate to remain viable. For example, U.S. ports like Los Angeles and Savannah lag behind leading ports in China, Japan, and Germany. Chinese ports such as Shanghai and Ningbo-Zhoushan consistently top global performance rankings due to their high levels of automation.

As industries face labor shortages, robots and automation can take over the dull, dirty and dangerous jobs like moving containers and processing trucks. This not only boosts productivity but also reduces fatigue and the potential for serious injuries. Automation also creates higher-value job opportunities for workers such as managing and programming robots and creates new jobs for those who work directly with them.

Rather than resisting, we must embrace automation as a driver of economic resilience and growth, ensuring the U.S. remains competitive while creating a more prosperous future for our workforce.

What other trends are you seeing in automation today?

We shouldn’t forget about the advances in enabling technologies such as machine vision and gripping/end of arm effectors: The ability of robots to see and grasp objects of all types that is rapidly improving thanks to advances in these two areas, and these advancements are going to be critical for humanoid robots as well as industrial and collaborative. Combined with AI, these advancements will allow robots to take on more tasks in a wider variety of industries. We’re excited to see how far these enabling technologies have come at our Automate Show in Detroit May 12-15. There are sure to be some compelling innovations we’ll see first at this event!