End Users vs. "End Users"
When it comes to the role of the End User in Robotics, figuring out WHO the true End User is becomes a priority
Aaron’s Thoughts On The Week
“I think the hardest part to get to is that point of asking for help or reaching out to other people and being honest with yourself.” - Mary-Kate Olsen
In robotics, we have three key groups: Manufacturers, Integrators, and End Users.
Manufacturers are the ones who are making the actual robot. So these are companies like FANUC, Yaskawa Motoman, Locus Robotics, and Omron.
Integrators are the ones who put together all of the pieces to make the robot application that the robot will be part of. These are companies like JR Automation and Mission Design & Automation.
These first two groups are so well defined that there are standards from numerous organizations that are specifically assigned to them. The top robot safety standard in the world is ISO 10218. That standard is broken into two parts. Part 1 is for manufacturers of robot arms, and Part 2 is for integrators of robot arm applications. In this new year of 2024, ISO 10218 will get a significant update that all manufacturers and integrators will pay attention to.
But what about End Users?
Figuring Out Who The End User Is
ANSI/A3 has started work on a new robot safety standard for end users. This is much needed, but who is the “end user.”
When I do an advisory session for a company that is looking at installing robots, my first goal is to determine who the actual end users are because the group that may be planning for a robot future may not be the ones using the robots. They may not even be the group that is paying for the robots.
Why is this important? Because the group you may be talking to may not have a complete picture of how the robot will be used. Do they know how the people working with or around the robot will see their new team member? Do they understand the robot’s limitations, or did they watch a viral robot video? Do they know the actual costs of the application?
If I visit a manufacturer or logistics provider and there doesn’t seem to be a big push to go on the operational floor, that is a big red flag for me. If there is a lack of showing the entire process from beginning to end, that is another red flag. Finally, if there is pushback against me talking directly with the team members who will operate and maintain the robot application, that would be the final red flag.
Over the past couple of months, I have wondered if many end users of robotics are not having great success and not installing robots much faster because the wrong end users are running the show.
End users that are having successful installs have the most stakeholders on board from Day One. If anything, all of the stakeholders (from those who use the robot to those who pay for it to the ones who maintain the safety protocols) are involved before the other two groups (Manufacturers and Integrators) are pulled into the conversation.
However, even when all of the stakeholders are on board, there are still voices that should carry more weight, and those are the people who will be getting up and close with the robots the most. The voice of the cleaning crew that has to work around the robot daily has more of a voice in the application design than any CEO, CTO, or CIO should have (unless they are going to be working with the robots).
Yes, there are many cases where the CEO, CTO, CIO, or another executive will sign off purchasing the robot application. However, I’ve seen that sign-offs go much faster when that person sees how many other stakeholders are on board and has contributed to building the correct application for the use case that is getting automated. It is easy to deny funding when only a group of engineers are the ones pitching it. It gets much more complicated to deny if the front-line employees want the robots and even participated in structuring the proposal from the Integrator. This is not to say it won’t be denied, but it sends the wrong message if leadership is committed to adding robotics and automation to their facilities.
So, if you are someone who wants to be the end user of robotics, ask yourself if your internal decision structure will allow the correct stakeholders to provide input into the application you wish to install. Many new end users of robotics don’t realize until it is too late that they do not have the right voices at the table for their first couple of projects. Many executives want ALL or NOTHING when it comes to robotics and automation. Either it will solve their problems, or they don’t want it. However, you ask someone on the operational floor, and they would be over the moon and a thrilled employee if the robot took one of the most hated tasks off of them. Those are some of the best quick wins. Not only does it allow a new end user to dip their toe and see how it goes, but they aren’t, in most cases, dropping a significant amount of money. But the biggest win is you made that front-line employee happy because you solved their pain point. They now will be open to other use cases going to the robots; they could be the ones to help identify them for you because we all know they know more about the operations than most in the Executive Suite.
So when we talk about End Users as part of building out and installing a new robot application, let’s ensure the right End Users are part of the conversation at all times. That is how we start building a record of successful installations, and more robots help us get our work done.
Robot News Of The Week
Scythe robot lawnmowers adopting ‘Tesla charging standard’
Scythe Robotics is adopting the North American Charging Standard for its M.52 robot lawnmower. The NACS is becoming the standard in EV charging. Scythe said this move will ensure lower charging costs, greater ease of use, and expanded access to charging facilities for landscape companies mowing with M.52.
Tennant invests $32 million in Brain Corp
Tennant Company and Brain Corp have formed an exclusive technology agreement to develop next-gen robots for the floor cleaning industry. The companies' complementary strengths aim to provide exceptional customer support. Brain Corp's AI-enabled AMR technology powers over 6,500 Tennant cleaning robots in the field.
Robot Research In The News
Watch this robot as it learns to stitch up wounds
Researchers at UC Berkeley have developed an AI-trained surgical robot that can perform sutures autonomously. The robot passes the needle through tissue and from one arm to the other while maintaining tension on the thread. This development marks progress towards robots that can replace humans in some tasks. The lessons learned could also be useful in other fields of robotics.
New Wyss project aims to control exosuit with brain signals
The Wyss Center is working on the Synapsuit project, which uses AI algorithms to control a lightweight exosuit with brain signals. This project aims to accelerate neuro-rehabilitation for people with severe upper-limb motor disabilities. The team plans to gather clinical data using high-density ECoG electrodes and develop new AI algorithms to interpret the intended movements of those with motor disability.
Robot Workforce Stories Of The Week
Robotics bill in Indiana expands school grant eligibility, widens what funds can be used for
The Indiana Senate Education and Career Development Committee passed House Bill 1233, which expands grant funding for robotics competition programs to all accredited Indiana schools. The bill would allow schools to spend the grant money on supplies used to build robots, in addition to competitions. The K-12 Robotics Competition Grant was created last year, and the bill's author, Rep. Chuck Goodrich, said this amendment would fix an error in the original law and make all accredited schools eligible for the grant.
Murfreesboro City Schools expanding robotics program in every school
Robot Video Of The Week
How many World Records are held by Robots? Well here are just a few.
Upcoming Robot Events
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