Advanced Manufactoring Next-gen workers in the factory of the future

New low-cost, human-safe solutions are now able to bring robotic automation within reach of small and medium factories, which often make high-quality and low-volume products. These next-generation robots are free to work in a collaborative environment with humans, are all relatively lightweight and dexterous. Collaborative robots offers the opportunity to enhance the roles of human workers. At the same time, these robots fulfill the need for fast, safe, flexible and precise execution of tasks needed to build the products of the future. Robotics experts envision the factory of the future as a vast array of robots, as diverse in design as in purpose, some of them will be mobile, carrying raw materials and fetching parts, others devoted to complex assembly tasks requiring superhuman dexterity.  This track examines the collaborative-class robots universe: the value proposition, human workforce integration, software and safety considerations as well as ongoing technology developments.