The total number of operational robots worldwide reached a peak of approximately 3.9 million units. Following this increase in demand, the International Federation of Robotics has identified the top five automation trends of 2024.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are a growing trend in robotics and automation. The development of generative AI, which involves using training data to create something new, is one such example. This type of AI is popularised by tools such as ChatGPT.
Robot manufacturers are working on generative AI-powered interfaces that allow users to program robots using natural language instead of code, making it more intuitive for workers who may not have specialised programming skills.
Predictive AI is another example of the use of AI in robotics, where data from robot performance is analysed to predict future equipment states. Predictive maintenance can save manufacturers the cost of downtime.
Machine learning algorithms can also optimise processes by analysing data from multiple robots performing the same task. The performance of a machine learning algorithm improves with the amount of data it is given.
Improved sensors, vision technologies, and intelligent grippers enable robots to work safely alongside human workers, responding in real time to environmental changes.
Collaborative robots (cobots) can help with tasks that require heavy lifting, repetitive motions, or work in dangerous environments. They are meant to support human workers rather than to replace them.
New competitors are entering the market with a specific focus on collaborative robots. Mobile manipulators, a combination of collaborative robot arms and mobile robots (AMRs), offer new use cases that could substantially expand the demand for collaborative robots.
Mobile Manipulators, or "MoMas," combine a robotic platform's mobility with a manipulator arm's agility. They can navigate complex environments and manipulate objects, making them useful for material handling tasks.
Digital twin technology is another method used to optimise the performance of a physical system by creating a virtual replica. As robots become more integrated in factories, digital twins can use their real-world operational data to run simulations and predict likely outcomes. Since the twin exists purely as a computer model, it can be tested and modified with no safety implications while saving costs.
The Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) aims to mass-produce humanoids by 2025. The potential impact of humanoids on various sectors makes them an exciting area of development. Still, their mass-market adoption remains a complex challenge due to costs, a crucial factor.
"The five mutually reinforcing automation trends in 2024 show that robotics is a multidisciplinary field where technologies are converging to create intelligent solutions for a wide range of tasks," says Marina Bill, President of the International Federation of Robotics.
These advances continue to shape the merging industrial and service robotics sectors and the future of work.
