ABB identifies new frontiers for robotics and AI in 2024

Marc Segura, President of ABB’s Robotics Division, outlined three key drivers for AI-powered robotics solutions in 2024, as the company continues its expansion into new markets previously untouched by robotic automation.

“The forthcoming year is set to underscore the pivotal role of AI,” Marc Segura, President of ABB’s Robotics Division, remarked. “From mobile robots and collaborative robots (cobots) to fostering new robotic applications across various sectors and opening up fresh opportunities for people to acquire skills and progress, these emerging frontiers of AI are reshaping the future of industrial robotics.”

1 – AI to Propel New Levels of Autonomy in Robotic Applications Advancements in AI are redefining the capabilities of industrial robotics. AI is enhancing robots’ efficiency in gripping, picking, placing, and their ability to navigate dynamically changing environments. AI is empowering robots with unparalleled speed, precision, and payload capacity, enabling them to undertake a broader range of tasks in versatile settings such as adaptable manufacturing facilities, warehouses, logistics centres, and laboratories.

“AI-powered mobile robots are set to revolutionise sectors like discrete manufacturing, logistics, and laboratories,” stated Segura. “Robots equipped with ABB’s innovative Visual Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (Visual SLAM) technology have superior mapping and navigation capabilities, granting them a new level of autonomy and significantly reducing the infrastructure demands of previous robot generations. This advancement facilitates a transition from traditional production lines to dynamic networks, enhancing efficiency and undertaking more monotonous, dirty, and hazardous tasks, thereby allowing workers to pursue more fulfilling roles.”

2 – AI to Introduce Robots into New Sectors The potential of AI-enabled robotics is extending its influence beyond traditional manufacturing sectors. In 2024, these technologies are poised to significantly enhance efficiency in more dynamic environments, including healthcare, life sciences, and retail. The construction industry is another sector where AI-driven robotics could have a significant impact, improving productivity, safety, and sustainable construction practices while fostering growth.

“The construction sector exemplifies how AI-driven robots can be transformative, delivering tangible benefits by addressing current industry challenges such as labour shortages, safety concerns, and stagnant productivity,” Segura explained. “Features like advanced recognition and decision-making capabilities, combined with the progress in collaborative robots, enable safe deployment alongside human workers. These advancements also allow robots to perform essential tasks like bricklaying, modular assembly, and 3D printing with enhanced accuracy and speed, contributing to more sustainable construction practices by reducing emissions and the need for material transportation over long distances through onsite assembly.”

3 – AI to Unlock New Opportunities for Education and Interaction with Robots The progress in AI and robotics is crucial for training and education, bridging the automation skills gap and making robots more accessible to a broader audience and businesses. With AI simplifying programming through lead-through and even natural language processing, educational focus can shift towards how robots can more effectively assist humans, rather than solely on programming skills. This shift is likely to make robots more user-friendly and accessible to a wider demographic, opening up new career opportunities while addressing labour and skills shortages.

“A longstanding barrier to the adoption of robotic automation, particularly in small to medium-sized manufacturing enterprises, has been a shortage of individuals skilled in programming and supporting robots,” Segura noted. “This is increasingly being overcome as advancements in generative AI lower the barriers to automation and broaden the educational focus beyond programming. Developments in natural language programming, powered by AI, where workers can verbally instruct robots, will introduce a new dynamic in human-robot interactions.”

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