Survival, the autonomous parts-distributing robot roaming around a Spanish Ford plantFord Robots have been at the center of auto manufacturing for ages, often handling tasks which would otherwise be too tough or time-consuming for humans. Some automakers have even been playing around with robotic exoskeletons, assisting workers in keeping their arms raised for hours at a time. Factory robots, then, are not uncommon. This one, however – ominously called “Survival” – is a bit different. Developed entirely in-house by Ford, it’s a run-around bot tasked with delivering spare parts and welding material to factory workers at a Ford body and stamping plant in Valencia, Spain. Here’s the rub: this thing learned itself how to navigate the building, and can figure out new routes if its chosen path is blocked or unavailable. Its designers programmed Survival to learn the whole floor, which means, when paired with a network of sensors, the robot doesn’t need external guides such as GPS. A quick video posted to the company’s YouTube page reveals a machine that looks not unlike a battered filing cabinet with a searchlight mounted on top of it. Painted a jaunty orange and lined with caution tape, the unit is shown zipping through the factory on its way to dutifully deliver items. Survival has 17 different slots for parts and is smart enough to allow access to only the slot designated for the delivery it is currently handling. It won’t allow a person who needs a rivet to take a ball-peen hammer, for instance, since it knows the worker at Station #2 only needs access to the rivets. This cuts down on erroneous deliveries and other headaches caused by humans not using stuff correctly, as is their wont. Reports from the plant say Survival has been on trial for almost a year and has worked “flawlessly” to date. The gearheads here at Driving would like to welcome out new robot
Origin: This cute autonomous robot doles out car parts at a Ford plant