Trends and Progress in Collaborative Robot Applications

Abstract

Modern robots have been used in different applications including welding, painting, soldering, assembly of different products and in education. List of applications is getting even longer because robot performance is improving. Faculties are following industries involving robots in their curriculum, while industry is interested in new ideas including new applications and their improvements from the university. Modern robots are user-friendly for programming so the lack of knowledge about robot applications seems to be the main obstacle in their wider implementation. Collaborative robots or cobots are sophisticated robots which could operate with other robots and with workers in the factory. Recent opening of Yaskawa factory in Kočevje, Slovenia, near border with Croatia, has significant impact on integrating the robots in production and education in central and South-east Europe.