Industrial robots

Types of industrial robots

As of January 2025, the following types of industrial robots are distinguished:

• Robotic manipulators. Used for high precision tasks such as welding, painting, and assembly. They are used in the automotive and transport industries.

• Delta robots. They are distinguished by high speed and accuracy, they are used for packaging and sorting especially in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

• SCARA robots. Optimal for tasks that require fast and accurate movements in the horizontal plane. Typically used to assemble electronic components.

• Polar robots (have a spherical working surface), cylindrical (for assembly and welding), Cartesian (for moving and working on machines), hinged robots (painting and welding).

• Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). Used to transport materials in dynamic environments. They are equipped with sensors and cameras, which allows them to work in difficult production conditions.

The Cobots

Main article: Kobots

Collaborative robots (cobots). Work together with people to ensure safety, mobility and flexibility. They are used to perform tasks that require accuracy.

Humanoid industrial robots

Main article: Humanoid industrial robots

Humanoid robots, thanks to their humanoid design, can be integrated into workflows originally intended for humans.

Building robots

Main article: Building robots

Digital twins

Main article: Digital twins

Digital twin technology allows you to create virtual copies of physical systems to simulate and optimize their operation. This reduces testing costs and improves security, as all changes are verified in a virtual environment before they are implemented in the real world.

Industrial Robots (Global Market)

Main article: Industrial robots (global market)

Industrial robots in Russia

Main article: Industrial robots in Russia

Industrial robots in China

Main article: Industrial robots in China

Technological trends in the development of industrial robots

Main article: Technological trends in the development of industrial robots

2025

Belarusian factory of automaker Belgee has introduced 43 industrial robots, which doubled the volume of car production

Belarusian plant SZAO "Belji" automaker Belgee completed a large-scale modernization of production, as a result of which the number of industrial robots increased from 10 to 43 units, which allowed to double performance from 15 to 30 cars per hour. The modernization primarily affected the welding and body painting workshops, where the degree of automation of technological processes was significantly increased and the human factor was excluded when performing critical operations. The changes are aimed at improving product quality, increasing production capacity and introducing modern technologies to improve production efficiency. This was announced on August 11, 2025 by representatives of Belgee. Read more here.

Kazakhstan Railways buys industrial robots to inspect tracks

The national company Қazaқstan temіr Zholy (KTZ) has announced the introduction of industrial robots for inspecting railways and performing minor repairs. This project became known on February 21, 2025 following a meeting between the chairman of the board of KTZ Nurlan Sauranbayev and the head of Huawei Technologies Liang Hua. Read more here.

Korean industrial robot maker Nau Robotics goes public

On January 31, 2025, South Korean industrial robotics platform company Nau Robotics announced an initial public offering (IPO). The papers will be traded at the KOSDAQ (Korean Securities Dealers Automated Quotations) site. Read more here.

A construction robot for high-altitude robots entered the market. It inserts windows

In mid-January 2025, it became known that Minnesota-based Harmon, which specializes in building glazing, began using a specialized robotic system, Raise Robotics, to install glass facade fasteners on high-rise structures. The platform is said to improve installation accuracy as well as safety at construction sites. Read more here.

2024

An industrial robot is presented that can tighten the nuts with a key

At the end of December 2024, the Canadian company Sanctuary AI announced the development of advanced manipulator hands for the Phoenix industrial robot. Thanks to the new technology, the machine has learned to perform complex operations with high accuracy using one palm. Read more here.

Data centers began to use robots to inspect equipment 24/7

On December 16, 2024, NTT Data announced the start of mass use in its data centers (data centers) of specialized robots called Ugo Mini. These machines are designed to inspect server equipment around the clock. Read more here.

Sales of a robot that accelerates concrete pouring by 85% have begun. VIDEO

In late November 2024, Korean robotics company Itone and construction firm Posco E&C announced the development of a specialized robot designed to speed up and reduce the cost of concrete pouring. The machine was named Conit Runner. Read more here.

An industrial robot has been released that does not need to be programmed

In mid-October 2024, Hurco and Kawasaki Robotics announced the creation of an industrial robotic system for servicing racks, which can be used on a "turn on and work" basis. The new industrial robot does not require pre-programming. Read more here.

Boston Dynamics cyberdogs began to be used to detect breakdowns of industrial equipment by sound

Boston Dynamics released new software for its Spot robotic dog in late September 2024. In particular, the dog learned to detect breakdowns of industrial equipment by sound. Read more here.

A robot for road repair entered the market. It reduces their maintenance costs by 90%

At the end of January 2024, the technology company Robotiz3d, founded by British specialists from the University of Liverpool, introduced the ARRES Prevent robotic system for monitoring and repairing the road surface. It is claimed that this complex can reduce road maintenance costs by 90%. Read more here.

2023

4 types of the world's most popular industrial robots

Experts have identified four main types of industrial robots that dominate the global manufacturing automation market. Articulated, SCARA, linear and delta robots cover 98% of all industrial manipulator installations, with more than half a million new devices installed in the world every year. Such data were published by the Institute for Statistical Research and Knowledge Economics of the Higher School of Economics on July 11, 2025.

According to the press service of the institute, the robotization of various industries is heterogeneous, with about half of all installations occurring in the automotive and electronic industries. The third place is shared by metallurgy and mechanical engineering. Demand is growing especially rapidly in the textile industry, woodworking and construction - by 56%, 39% and 33% per year, respectively, in the period 2018-2023.

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Фото: Unsplash

The variety of production tasks determines the design requirements for the mechanisms of industrial robots and their functionality. Depending on the kinematic scheme of the device, specialists distinguish four main types of robots with different characteristics and applications:

• Articulated robots hold 70% of the global market and provide flexibility in complex spatial operations.
• SCARA robots account for 17% of the market and specialize in high-precision electronics operations.
• Linear robots occupy 10% of the market and are designed to work with heavy workpieces.
• Delta robots account for less than 1% of the market and are used for high-speed packaging of delicate goods.

Articulated arms are the most versatile and common devices. Their movable "joint" design is designed for complex welding, painting, cutting, grinding and milling operations. Global sales of articulated robots have steadily increased by an average of 7% annually since 2018, thanks to significant economic benefits and a quick payback.^[1]

Excavator robot capable of erecting stone walls without human help released

At the end of November 2023, researchers from the Swiss Higher Technical School of Zurich announced the development of a robotic excavator capable of building walls of stone blocks without human help. The platform was called HEAP - Hydraulic Excavator for an Autonomous Purpose. Read more here.

Named 5 main trends in the industrial robot market

As of the end of 2022, the number of industrial robots in operation on a global scale reached 3.5 million units. The market volume in monetary terms is estimated at $15.7 billion. Such data on February 16, 2023 is provided by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). The study highlights five main trends in the development of the industrial robot industry.

1. Energy efficiency

This indicator, as noted, is the key to increasing the competitiveness of companies in the context of rising electricity costs. The introduction of robotics in many ways helps reduce energy consumption in production compared to traditional assembly lines. Automated manipulators operate at high speed, thereby increasing productivity and making production more economical. Modern robots are designed to consume less energy, resulting in lower operating costs. Some installations are equipped with an intelligent power saving system that controls the supply of energy to the robot on demand during the working day.

The number of industrial robots in operation on a global scale has reached 3.5 million units

2. Reshoring

Against the background of the current macroeconomic situation and geopolitical situation, many companies invest significantly in the transfer of production to regions less susceptible to market instability and other negative factors. In particular, such a picture is observed in the semiconductor industry. Meanwhile, the production of microchips requires a large number of complex and expensive robotic complexes. Automakers are also reviewing the geography of production to simplify supply chains. Therefore, the demand for industrial robots in these areas will grow.

3. Robot programming becomes easier

Tuning robots for specific tasks has become easier and more accessible for non-specialists. Easy-to-use software combined with an intuitive user interface replaces complex robotics programming and opens up new automation capabilities. For example, vendors of specialized platforms give customers the ability to control industrial robots without prior programming experience. Startups are emerging that offer specialized software solutions for configuring robots for the needs of small and medium-sized companies. Easy-to-use APIs that allow customers to self-tune robots are also driving a new segment of low-cost robotics.

Market volume in monetary terms is estimated at $15.7 billion

4. Artificial Intelligence and Digital Automation

Robots are becoming part of a single connected digital ecosystem that combines cloud computing, big data analysis and 5G networks . This approach opens up new opportunities in terms of performance optimization. At the same time, AI has great potential for robotics, providing a number of advantages in production. In particular, systems can be configured in real time depending on the environment. AI algorithms will provide cost-effective and fast solutions to various problems - for example, assortment analysis from manufacturers or wholesalers dealing with millions of different products that change regularly.

5. The second life of industrial robots

Since the industrial robot has a lifespan of up to 30 years, updating its technology equipment is a great opportunity to give old robots a "second life." Manufacturers of industrial robots such as ABB, Fanuc, Kuka, Stäubli or Yaskawa have specialized repair centers to rebuild or upgrade former devices in an economical way.^[2]

In South Korea, a robot crushed a worker, confused with a vegetable box

On November 9, 2023, South Korean police reported that an industrial robot crushed a worker to death at one of the agricultural distribution plants. The incident raised public concerns about the safety of automated manipulators used in many businesses.

The accident happened at a pepper sorting plant, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported. The robotic arm is responsible for lifting the product boxes and carrying them onto the pallets. The machine was prepared for test launch, however, during commissioning and testing, problems arose with one of the sensors. To eliminate the problem, I had to call a specialist from the manufacturer. robot

At one of South Korea's agricultural distribution plants, an industrial robot crushed a worker to death

The accident occurred when an engineer in his early 40s was inspecting a robotic arm. The car mistook the man for a box of products, grabbed him and pressed him to the conveyor belt, crushing his face and chest. The victim was urgently sent to the hospital, but doctors failed to save his life.

A spokesman for the Donggoseong export agricultural complex, which owns the plant, later said a "precise and safe" robotic system needed to be created. At the same time, the police station, which is investigating the incident, said that the manipulator was not "an advanced robot with artificial intelligence, but a machine that simply collects boxes and puts them on pallets." The police also said that the incident could have occurred due to human error. The robot's sensors are programmed to detect the boxes, and the surveillance camera personnel shows the man walking towards the car with the box in his hands, likely launching it.^[3]

The world's first mobile robot for shipbuilding presented

At the end of June 2023, Italian companies Comau and Fincantieri announced the MR4Weld (Mobile Robot for Weld) platform. This is the world's first robotic mobile system for shipbuilding, its developers say. Read more here.

2022

Which countries in Europe have the most industrial robots

The largest market for industrial robots in Europe in 2022 remained Germany - 26,344 systems were launched in this country during this period. Such data in October 2023 are provided by the International robotics Federation of Robotics (IFR).

According to the study, Germany was among the five largest countries in the world for the introduction of industrial robots with a market share of 36% in. EU Next, it was located Italy with a market share of 16% in, European Union the number of robot installations in this country in 2022 increased by 8% and reached 11,620 units. The third largest European market for industrial robots - French - recorded a regional market share of 10% and provided growth of 13% (to 7449 robots).

In Britain, after Brexit, the number of industrial robot installations in 2022 increased by 3% to 2534 units. That's less than a tenth of Germany's sales.

The agency Reuters draws attention to the fact that the volume of the German industrial robot market in 2022 was a record since 2018, when the figure was measured at 26,723 units. Then, due to the coronavirus pandemic COVID-19 , companies began to buy robots less often.

Most often, industrial robots in Germany are used in automotive enterprises - in 2022, more than 6,600 systems appeared there, which is significantly less than in the previous two years (9167 robots were introduced in 2021, 9670 units in 2020).

Robots allow companies to survive, which see their future under threat due to staff shortages, said Ralph Winkelmann, managing director of FANUC Germany (Ralf Winkelmann), which sells about half of its Japanese robots to small and medium-sized businesses, in a conversation with the publication.[4]

North American companies buy record number of industrial robots in a year

The shortage of workers in the United States in 2022 led to the introduction of more industrial robots than ever before, most of which are intended for factories producing electric vehicles and batteries. This was announced in mid-February 2023 by the US Automation Development Association.

The total investment of a North American company in industrial robots in 2022 amounted to $2.38 billion, which is 18% more than in 2021. However, by the end of 2022, demand for robots had declined somewhat, raising questions about how strong demand would be in 2023 amid changing household consumption patterns and rising interest rates initiated by central banks to take control of high inflation. Many companies trying to find workers amid the lowest unemployment rate in the United States since 1969 see automation as a quick solution to the problem, Reuters reports.

Industrial robot

In 2022, companies from North America, overwhelmingly located in the United States, but including To Canada in and, To Mexico ordered just over 44,100 robots, an 11% increase from 2021, and a record, according to the US Automation Development Association.

According to Atlas Public Policy, since the beginning of 2021, it has been announced the construction of new plants for the production of electric vehicles, batteries and the disposal of batteries in the United States worth $160 billion. All of them will need a significant number of different robots. Automation is actively used for "audit" work, inspection activities to check products for compliance with specifications. Robotization should help avoid the situation at enterprises during the COVID-19 pandemic.^[5]

Kuka has supplied Tesla with an "army of industrial robots"

On December 24, 2022, it was reported that Tesla received a new batch of Kuka robots - industrial manipulators used in production. It is assumed that they will be involved in the release of Cybertruck electric pickups. Read more here.

Japanese industrial giant Sumitomo unveils robot capable of navigating curved steel walls

Japanese industrial giant Sumitomo Heavy Industries has unveiled a robot capable of moving along curved steel walls using magnetic mechanisms. The Wall Climbing Robot project was implemented as part of a program launched by the company in 2018. Read more here.

2021

Industrial robot attacked an engineer at a Tesla factory

In late December 2023, it became known that at a Tesla gigafactory Texas in near Austin, one of the engineers was attacked by an industrial one. robot The man suffered serious injuries, including an open wound to his left arm. More. here

Countries with the highest density of robots per 10 thousand employees in the field of industrial production

List of countries with the highest density of robots per 10 thousand workers in the field of industrial production (according to data for 2021)

A robot for applying construction markings went on sale. You can build houses on it and make repairs in them

In mid-September 2022, the company HP introduced a small one, robot Siteprint which, according to the developers, can significantly speed up construction work by offline printing of landmarks directly from drawings to the floor. The manufacturer characterizes its system as durable, passable and extremely accurate for layout. More. here

Sales of industrial robots in the world updated the record

According to robotics the International Federation (IFR), which were released in June 2022, sales of industrial robots on a global scale at the end of 2021 were record, which is largely facilitated by the high demand of enterprises for automation technologies. Worldwide, 486,800 industrial robots were delivered in 2021, up 27% from 2020. The largest increase in demand was observed in/ Asia: Australia deliveries increased by 33% and reached 354,500 units. Demand Northern South America in and grew by 27% to 49,400 units. To Europe In, there was a double-digit increase of 15% - 78,000 units were installed.

The number of robot sales around the world has increased significantly, and 2021 was the most successful year for the robotics industry, says Milton Gerry, president of IFR. - Due to the continuing trend towards automation and constant technological innovation, demand has reached a high level in all industries. In 2021, even the pre-pandemic record was exceeded - 422,000 installations per year in 2018.

Sales of industrial robots in the world updated the record

In 2021, the main factor in demand growth was the electronic industry (132,000 units, + 21%), which already in 2020 surpassed the automotive industry (109,000 installations, + 37%) as the largest consumer of industrial robots. It is followed by metallurgy and mechanical engineering (57,000 units, + 38%), ahead of the production of plastics and chemical products (22,500 units, + 21%) and the production of food and drinks (15,300 units, + 24%).

In 2021, the number of industrial robot installations in Europe recovered after two years of decline, exceeding the maximum of 75,600 units in 2018. Demand from the most important consumer, the automotive industry, remained strong but was moving laterally (19,300 units, +/-0%). Demand from metallurgy and mechanical engineering increased strongly (15,500 units, + 50%), followed by the plastic and chemical industries (7,700 units, + 30%).

In the Americas, the number of units of industrial robots sold reached the second-highest total ever, surpassing a record 2018 (55,200 units). 33,800 units of equipment were delivered to the largest American market, the United States, which accounts for 68% of the market share of these continents.

Sales of industrial robots in the world updated the record

Asia remains the world's largest industrial robot market, with 73% of all robots purchased in 2021 installed in Asia. A total of 354,500 units were delivered in 2021, up 33% from 2020. Most robots were delivered to the electronics industry (123,800 units, + 22%), followed by the automotive industry (72,600 units, + 57%) and metallurgy and mechanical engineering (36,400 units, + 29%).

The growth in production and the number of purchases of new industrial robots is spurred by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the recovery in the global economy after it hit, and the plans of the EU and the United States to launch their own production of electronic components amid problems with relations with the PRC.

In the same direction, the wind "blows" what is called the process of reshoring. The market for ultra-cheap labor in the PRC in particular, and East and Southeast Asia as a whole, is a thing of the past. But industrial robots are becoming more perfect and more accessible to enterprises. If at the end of the twentieth century it was extremely profitable for corporations to bring assembly to Asia and close factories in the United States and Europe with their high salaries for workers, then by 2021 it becomes profitable to deploy robotic production in the most developed and wealthy countries, closer to consumers. US trade and political friction with China amid the growing threat of wars around Taiwan, the South China Sea, the Sino-Indian border, this process only spurs.^[6]

Google has created a software company for industrial robots

At the end of July 2021, Alphabet created a new subsidiary for the development of software for industrial robots. The new structure was called Intrinsic (formerly GitStar). The company is created on the basis of the existing Intrinsic project, which worked as part of the X Development breakthrough ideas and technologies division. Read more here.

Announcement of a robot for the inspection of energy and processing enterprises

At the end of April 2021, the Swiss company ANYbotics demonstrated a new industrial robot - ANYmal D. It can be used for inspections of industrial and energy companies. Read more here.

Announcement of a construction robot climbing stairs

In April 2021, the Austrian company Printstones introduced, construction robot Baubot which has a modular design software and open source to expand the capabilities of the technology. More. here

2020: Lenovo unveils Morningstar industrial robot for paint work

On October 28, 2020, Lenovo unveiled its first proprietary industrial robot, called Morningstar. The novelty, according to the developers, uses the latest computing power and artificial intelligence, allowing workers to accurately perform painting work remotely using a robot. Read more here.

2018

Countries with the greatest penetration of industrial robots

In early April 2019, the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) published a study on the level of penetration of industrial robots in different countries.

The first place in the ranking was taken by South Korea, in which there are 710 robots per 10 thousand workers. The top three included Singapore (658 robots) and Germany (322). Russia is not on this list.

Countries with the greatest penetration of industrial robots - their number to 10 thousand workers, IFR data

Experts pay attention to the seventh place in the United States, where there are 200 robots per 10 thousand employees of factories and enterprises. That's double the number in China.

In 2018, a record number of robots were sold on the American market - almost 38 thousand units. This was largely facilitated by companies engaged in the food and chemical industries (including plastic processing), which increased robotics costs by 64% and 30%, respectively.

Most robots in the United States are involved in the production of cars - in 2017 there were 1,200 of them in relation to 10 thousand workers against 790 in 2012. However, automakers are reducing purchases of robots: in 2016, a record 16,311 units were purchased, in 2017 - 15,400 , in 2018 - 14,600 . Sales are down about 7% a year, but the auto industry accounted for 38% of all industrial robots in the United States in 2018.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, total employment in the automotive industry increased by 22% - from 824,400 jobs in 2013 to 1,005,000 in 2018. This data shows that despite the automation of the production of cars and their components, there is no unemployment problem in this sector.

The second most purchased robots in the United States was the electronics industry with an 18 percent share in the total number of equipment used. Electronics manufacturers are increasing their adoption of robots by about 15% per year.^[7]

Robot nearly killed worker by impaling him with 10 steel pins

On December 11, 2018, it became known about an accident that occurred with a 49-year-old Chinese man named Zhou. 10 steel pins plunged into it as a result of the fall of the manipulator, which flew off the industrial robot. Fortunately, the worker was saved despite the severe damage.

The incident occurred on December 4, 2018 at a porcelain factory in the city of Zhuzhou (Hunan province in southeastern China) during a night shift. From the fallen part of the robot, spikes 30 cm long and 1.5 cm in diameter flew out, which stuck in Zhou's back, shoulder and arm. Some of them passed through, and one metal pin stopped only 1 mm from an important nerve node in the thoracic region - in the area between the collarbone and the first rib. Still, a little and the victim could begin a severe hemorrhage, which would greatly reduce the chances of survival.

Operation to remove 10 metal pins was successful

With serious injuries, the man was taken to a local hospital, from where he was sent to a clinic in the provincial capital. Because of the pins, he could not lie on his back or on his stomach. His wounds were handled by more than ten nurses and doctors from various departments. In the early morning, the worker was operated on and successfully removed all the pins, according to the Daily Mail, citing People's Daily Online.

Surgeon Wu Panfeng, who operated on Zhou, said that due to the long length of the metal pins, the patient could not undergo an X-ray scan. After the operation, which was successful, the man's condition stabilized. Nothing threatens his life.^[8]

In August 2018, it was reported that a worker in China survived after his head was pierced by a three-meter metal bar. The victim was operated on, the rod entered the brain by 20 cm was removed and the skull was restored.

By 2020, 3 million robots worldwide will be involved in industry

On April 25, 2018, Sberbank published an analytical review of the global robotics market prepared by the Sberbank Robotics Laboratory. According to the review, the growth rate of the industrial robotics market outpaces the growth rate of global GDP: between 2011 and 2016, the average annual growth of industrial robots sales was 12%. Calculated by IFR (International Federation of Robotics), 294 thousand industrial robots were sold in 2016, which is 16% more than in 2015, and the total market volume reached $13.1 billion (taking into account software, peripherals and integration services, the market exceeds $40 billion).

Meanwhile, the service robotics market is growing even faster. So, in 2015, 48 thousand professional service robots were sold, and in 2016 this number increased by 24% to 59 thousand. The total market volume of professional service robots reached $4.7 billion.

The total number of personal service robots sold in 2016 increased by 24%, reaching about 6.7 million units, and the total market volume increased to $2.6 billion. For example, there are already more than 20 million robotic vacuum cleaners in the world, which are rapidly becoming cheaper due to increased competition, Sberbank noted.

Industrial robotics is growing at an average of 15% per year due to the rapid robotization of the Chinese economy and, while the growth of service robotics has deeper reasons: most of the global economy is a service economy. That is why service robotics shows more significant growth (at the level of 25% per year) with relatively lower numbers in absolute terms compared to industrial, the review says.

According to Sberbank, the situation with robotics in Russia is a complete reflection of the trend described above. Despite the fact that Russia is in the penultimate place in the world in terms of robotization density in industry, our country, in accordance with IFR statistics, is among the top 20 countries producing service robotics. This means that in this area our country has good potential for growth. The ratio of industrial and service robotics in Russia is 1 to 10.

The density of robotization is considered as the number of industrial robots per 10 thousand workers employed in industry. The total drop in industrial production in Russia compared to the USSR led to the fact that in Russia there is a low density of robotization.

91% of all industrial robots in 2016 were installed in the manufacturing sector. The average annual sales growth rate across all manufacturing industries in 2011-2016 was 13%; for the automotive industry - 12%, and for the electronics industry - 19%.

As for service robots, they are most sold in absolute terms for logistics (~ 25 thousand units), military use (~ 11 thousand), for commercial spaces (~ 7 thousand), field work and exoskeletons (~ 6 thousand each).

For personal use in 2016, 6.7 million robots were bought in the world in the amount of $2.6 billion, 4.6 million of them are robots for home tasks (mainly vacuum cleaners) and for entertainment - 2.1 million (mainly toys).

74% of global sales of industrial robots are in five countries: China (30%), the Republic of Korea (14%), Japan (13%), the USA (11%) and Germany (7%). In Russia, 358 industrial robots were sold in 2016.

According to IFR estimates, the global operational fleet of industrial robots will grow from approximately 1,828 thousand units at the end of 2016 to 3,053 thousand units by the end of 2020, which corresponds to a CAGR of 14% in 2018-2020.

Experts of the Sberbank Laboratory consider the following areas that will form the basis of the industrial and service robotics market by 2020:

• unmanned passenger transport
• robots for commercial spaces;
• robotic interlocutors (assistants);
• logistics robots and unmanned cargo transport;
• collaborative robots;
• industrial exoskeletons;
• robots for agriculture.
• robots for customer service;
• industrial exoskeletons;
• robots for home tasks (personal assistants).

Of the 13 most notable manufacturers of industrial robots on the international market, eight - FANUC, Yaskawa, Kawasaki, Nachi, Denso, Mitsubishi, Epson and Omron - are Japanese. The other five companies are from the European Union: ABB, Stäubli, Kuka, Comau, Universal Robots.

The main player in the service robotics market is the United States: a total of 49% of service robots are produced in America. Asia lags significantly behind - only 30%, in Europe - 21%. However, Asian manufacturers have already outstripped Europeans in the field of personal robotics, Sberbank noted. Despite an unqualified lead in the number of service robots sold, the US is behind Europe in the number of manufacturers. Thus, in 2016, the European region was in the lead in terms of the number of manufacturing companies (44%), North America (35%) and Asia (21%) lagged behind significantly.

According to the estimates of the Sberbank Laboratory, about 80 companies leading developments in the field of robotics are actively operating in Russia. Some of them are already successfully exporting their products. But so far the Russian industrial robotics market is small - its volume amounted to less than 10 billion rubles. in 2016.

2017

Suppliers' shares rise in price

Automation continues to gain momentum in the world, with an army of robots taking over more factories, factories and storage facilities around the world. The trend affected not only developed, but also developing economies. However, the former, of course, are leading in the purchase of industrial robots. This was reported on November 20, 2017 by The Financial Times.

The use of robots in shoe production

Advanced machines capable of not only welding car bodies and lifting weights, but also performing more complex and delicate operations - from making electronic components to laying chocolates - are increasingly in demand in the world. In parallel with demand, stock quotes of leading industry representatives are growing, including the Japanese companies Fanuc and Yaskawa, the Swiss concern ABB and the German Kuka. According to the publication, Yaskawa and Kuka shares more than doubled in 2017, and the value of Fanuc and ABB securities has increased by 40% and almost 16% since the beginning of the year, respectively.

Kuku robot demonstrates movement accuracy by pouring beer into a glass

Appearance of cobots with AI elements

A characteristic trend is the expansion of the range of robots, among which machines with elements of artificial intelligence have now appeared, capable of working side by side with humans. These are so-called collaborative robots, or cobots, specially designed to interact with humans. Among the advantages of such machines is the ability to learn by imitation.

Cobots don't need programmers. Anyone can teach them, because they are very easy to use. You just need to click on the record and do the necessary actions, and then repeat them several times. After that, the machine will reproduce movements offline, "says Jonathan Cohen, an employee of the RoboCap UCITS investment fund specializing in robotics.

In addition, compared to traditional robots, cobots have less weight, they are more compact and mobile, as well as cheap, which is especially important for small and medium-sized businesses.

The robotics market has been growing steadily over the past four to five years, and we are optimistic that this situation will continue for the next three years, "Per Vegard Nerseth, Managing Director of ABB Robotics, told the publication.

However, the proliferation of robots has raised fears that over time, machines will take away work from humans. In September 2017, Deutsche Bank analyst John Cryan said that robots are already pushing people out of jobs, and that the trend will intensify in the future.

The company also heats up the alarm consulting : McKinsey according to its estimates, in the future, from 30% to 60% of operations performed by people can be automated.

However, the head of ABB Robotics does not share such fears. In his opinion, the shortage of employees to carry out qualified manual work is partly to blame for the growth in demand for robots. Often companies automate too tedious, dirty or dangerous operations that people simply do not want to perform.

Many companies are experiencing difficulties due to the fact that they cannot find enough employees in places where manual labor is required... Now I don't see robots actually taking away people's jobs. I would say they help companies become more competitive and efficient, "said Per Fegard Nerzet.[9]

IOActive: Almost any industrial robot can attack a person

Industrial robots have a large number of vulnerabilities, up to those that allow them to be put under remote control. These are the findings of a study conducted by IOActive, whose experts studied software components for robots from six major CNews manufacturers^[10].

The researchers did not work directly with the robots themselves, but they carefully studied the software components, including shells and mobile applications. The results were very disappointing.

The subject of the study was the development of SoftBank Robotics (NAO and Pepper robots), Ubtech Robotics (Alpha 1S and Alpha 2), Robotis (Robotis OP2 and Thormang3), Universal Robots (UR3, UR5 and UR10), Rethink Robotics (Baxter and Sawyer), as well as the Asratec Corp v-Sido robot management system.

In total, the researchers identified almost 50 software vulnerabilities related to a wide variety of aspects of working with these machines: problems were found with communications, authorization of itself and its mechanisms, encryption, storage of users' personal data, pre-installed settings and open source components.

It turned out, in particular, that the vulnerabilities provide attackers with at least a hypothetical opportunity to use cameras and microphones of robots for espionage, while other bugs allow them to seize control of the device and use it to cause physical damage.

1961: The world's first industrial robot

The world's first industrial robot Ultimate began working at the General Motors (GM) plant. Programs for his hand weighing 1200 kg were stored on a magnetic drum.

Robotics